Projects
AVAIO Digital Leo data center campus near Wrightsville
Pulaski County, Pulaski County
1,000 acres
🕒 Sept 25, 2026: County Judge Barry Hyde vetoed the ordinance; 9 of 15 votes are needed to override it.
ProposedGoogle data center at the Port of Little Rock
Little Rock, Pulaski County
400 acres · for Google (reported)
🕒 June 10, 2026: Google held an invite-only community meeting; residents protested outside.
Local votes and rules
📜 Data center rules · Pulaski County
The Quorum Court passed, 11-4, the county's first data center rules for land outside cities. Big data centers become heavy industry and need a special permit (conditional use). AVAIO's Wrightsville project is not exempt. County Judge Barry Hyde vetoed it on Sept. 25, citing lawsuit risk. Backers plan an override vote at the next regular meeting; 9 of 15 votes are needed.
📜 Data center rules · North Little Rock
City Council updated its zoning rules to define "data center campus". They are allowed only in I-3 heavy industrial zones with conditional use approval. They may not strain North Little Rock Electric or Central Arkansas Water for existing customers. The rules also cover noise and distance from homes. An emergency clause made it take effect right away.
✋ Turned down · Little Rock
The city board voted down an 18-month pause on new hyperscale data centers, including Google's. The vote was a 4-4 tie with two directors absent, so it failed. The June data center rules stay in place.
✋ Turned down · Pulaski County
The Quorum Court voted 10-3 against a 12-month pause on large data centers. Critics said its exemption for AVAIO's Wrightsville project was a "free pass". The county was left with no pause.
📌 Other · Wrightsville
City Council passed a resolution to study annexing three areas around Wrightsville. The mayor said the west area would ideally include AVAIO's planned data center site. A draft ordinance would put annexation to voters. Critics say it would move the project out of county rules; the mayor says the data center is not the reason.
📜 Data center rules · Little Rock
After a nearly five-hour meeting, the city board unanimously passed data center rules. They sort data centers into three sizes and set rules on water use, noise, generators and distance from homes. Google's planned center near the Port of Little Rock falls under the biggest (hyperscale) group. Directors said state law does not let them ban data centers.
✋ Turned down · Pulaski County
The Quorum Court voted on a one-year pause on new data centers, with an exemption for AVAIO's Wrightsville project. The clerk first said it passed, but two days later said she miscounted: it got 8 yes votes, not the 10 needed for an emergency ordinance. So it did not pass.
✅ Approved · Little Rock
The Port Authority board approved selling about 400 acres to an unnamed company for a $1 billion data center (later reported to be Google). The company would pay the city $300,000 a year, plus $200,000 more if it adds data centers. Two board members recused.
Find your town
In Arkansas, cities and towns decide inside their limits. Outside them, the county decides.