Google data center at the Port of Little Rock
Also called: Willowbend Capital project, Sweet Home data center
A company reported to be working for Google plans a $1 billion data center campus at the Port of Little Rock, with five large buildings. It needs a federal Army Corps permit. Google has held community meetings but has not formally announced the project.
Where things stand: Port Authority approved a land sale in Apr 2025. Google has not formally announced it. A federal Army Corps permit was under review in 2026.
🕒 Latest update (June 10, 2026): Google held an invite-only community meeting; residents protested outside.
What we know
- 📍 WherePort of Little Rock industrial area, near Sweet Home, Little Rock, Pulaski County
- 🏢 CompanyWillowbend Capital LLC (reported to be working for Google)
- 🏛️ Owned byAlphabet
- 👤 Built forGoogle (reported)
- 🌳 Size400 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs100 megawatts (about as much as 80,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromEntergy Arkansas; expected to use more than 100 MW
- 💧 WaterCentral Arkansas Water
- 💵 Cost$1 billion
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Has the Army Corps approved its permit, and how much wetland and stream would be filled? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water will it use each day? 🙋 I'll find out
- Has Google officially confirmed the project? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- April 29, 2025Little Rock Port Authority approved selling about 400 acres to Willowbend Capital LLC for an unnamed company's $1 billion data center.
- April 2026A U.S. Army Corps of Engineers notice described plans for five industrial buildings (1.43 million square feet), two office buildings and a substation.
- June 10, 2026Google held an invite-only community meeting; residents protested outside.
Local votes and rules
✋ Turned down
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.
📜 Data center rules
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.
✅ Approved
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.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- Little Rock Port Authority authorizes 400 acre sale of land for $1 billion data center project · Talk Business & Politics · April 29, 2025
- The data centers · Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · May 3, 2026
- Entergy, CAW, local officials answer concerns surrounding Little Rock data centers · KATV · May 12, 2026
- Little Rock residents protest private Google data center meeting at First Methodist Church · KATV · June 11, 2026
- Hyperscale data centers come to Arkansas · Talk Business & Politics · Feb 15, 2026
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