Wright family negotiates data center deal with Cleveland, Tennessee
On September 15, 2026, the Wright family announced a negotiated agreement with the city of Cleveland, Tennessee, to develop Project River, a private 850‑acre, $11.3 billion industrial campus that includes a data center powered by a hybrid forest‑biomass and natural‑gas plant.
The agreement centers on a Planned Unit Development (PUD) that would generate tax revenues projected at tens of millions of dollars annually, funds that the family says could be directed to the city’s general fund, school systems, and increased pay for teachers and first responders.
"Instead of falling into a simple zoning of industrial or commercial or whatever the appropriate zoning is, this allows us to work with them to set guidelines for us to say, 'OK, if you are going to develop this project, and this is what you intend to do, here are the rules,'" Wright family member Lukas Salyer said in an interview. "Here's what you can and can't do.' You see some very, very specific guidelines that I think will give the community some assurance and a method of accountability to ensure that this project is what we want it to be."
The PUD includes a list of strict environmental controls: no direct connection to the nearby Hiwassee River, 90 % of process water to be generated on site, a maximum noise level of 60 decibels at the property line monitored continuously, and the data center structures will be hidden from public roadways and neighboring properties.
In addition to the data center, the developers have pledged to fund a new fire and emergency medical services facility adjacent to the site, and the on‑site power plant will rely primarily on forest timber and natural gas, using Tennessee Valley Authority power only as backup.
Community opposition remains robust. Hundreds have attended public meetings, and a Facebook page titled “Reject Project River” has drawn more than 500 members. Residents have voiced concerns about potential impacts on electricity costs, water use and local health and safety.
The Cleveland negotiations occur amid a broader state‑wide debate over data center projects. Similar disputes have unfolded in Nashville, where D.C. Blox’s proposed data center near the zoo is tied up in litigation, and other developers face public scrutiny over environmental and fiscal impacts.
The city expects a final draft of the PUD to be ready Friday, with any formal action delayed until October, according to a city release.