Carroll County Supervisors to Visit Alabama Over Proposed Project Lightning Data Center
Carroll County supervisors are traveling to Alabama to learn about a proposed data center development, codenamed "Project Lightning," at the regional Wildwood Commerce Park. The project has generated significant local debate, highlighting a split between the potential for substantial tax…
Norfolk Portsmouth Newport News, VA, October 26, 2026 —
Carroll County supervisors are traveling to Alabama to learn about a proposed data center development known as “Project Lightning,” planned for the regional Wildwood Commerce Park, according to the information provided about the project.
The proposal has prompted local debate over the potential for substantial tax revenue and concerns about local control and transparency. Carroll County has disagreed with its partners, Grayson County and Galax, over whether to cede decision-making authority to a regional economic development authority.
The planned visit is intended to give the supervisors an opportunity to learn about the proposed development. The available information does not specify when the trip will take place, who will attend, or what aspects of the project they will examine in Alabama.
Details about the data center’s proposed size, cost, construction schedule, expected tax revenue, or project developers were not provided. The information also does not describe the regional authority’s role, the precise decisions at issue, or whether any agreement on governance has been reached among Carroll County, Grayson County and Galax.
For now, the debate centers on balancing the possibility of substantial tax revenue against questions about who would have authority over decisions and how transparently those decisions would be made. The project remains described as proposed; no final approval or next steps were included in the information provided.
Story summarized from the original created by Tad Dickens on cardinalnews.org, see more information here.
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