A plan for 70 data centers could reshape California’s AI infrastructure fight

Global Stack’s big fairgrounds pitch

A fairground usually brings to mind rides, food, and summer crowds. Now one California company wants people to picture something very different on those same grounds: compact data centers, parking garages, and even helicopter landing pads.

That company is Global Stack LLC, and its goal is huge. According to reporting and company presentations, Global Stack is currently targeting dozens of fairgrounds and says its longer-term goal is to place data center sites at up to 70 California fairgrounds by 2030, including at least 8 in the Bay Area.

Global Stack sees fairs as an opportunity

It is an unusual idea, but that is part of what makes it stand out. Global Stack is pitching fairgrounds as places where public land, local revenue, and emergency response needs can come together in a single project.

The company’s presentations describe three main components at each site: an 8- to 10-megawatt data center, a multilevel parking garage, and a helipad. Global Stack says the setup could create long-term lease income while adding parking and emergency-use features.

Global Stack brings a Bay Area test

The first big test may happen in the Bay Area, where several fairgrounds have already heard the pitch. That gives the proposal a very public stage in one of the country’s most-watched regions for tech growth and local land fights.

Reporting says Global Stack has discussed the concept with sites including the Cow Palace, San Mateo County Event Center, Calistoga Fairgrounds, and Solano County Fairgrounds. Some leaders say talks are still early, while Calistoga has already stepped away after community pushback.

Why fair leaders are listening

Fairgrounds may seem like an odd match for digital infrastructure. But many of these venues face the same challenge year after year: they need steady income outside of seasonal events, concerts, and fairs.

That is one reason some fair leaders are willing to listen. Cow Palace and San Mateo leaders told reporters they are exploring the idea because long-term tenants can provide financial stability, while new garages could also ease parking shortages during busy events.

The parking piece may be the hook

For many readers, the data center grabs the headline. But the parking garage may be the part that sells the idea locally. Fairground leaders say packed events can already strain available space and turn away visitors.

At some sites, Global Stack says the garage could add hundreds of parking spaces without public funding, and the Cow Palace version of the proposal cited as many as 1,500. For venues trying to host bigger crowds and protect a key source of revenue, that part of the proposal may be just as appealing as the data center lease itself.

The helipad makes it even stranger

A data center at a fairground is already a surprising idea. Add a helicopter landing pad on top, and the project starts sounding more like a futuristic sketch than a normal real estate plan.

Still, Global Stack says the helipad serves a practical purpose. Supporters say the helipad could fit with the emergency role many fairgrounds already play in California, where fair sites have been used for disaster response and public health operations.

Little-known fact: California fairgrounds were used as vaccination and testing sites during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Small by data center standards

These would not be the giant data centers people often imagine in Nevada, Texas, or Virginia. Researcher Shaolei Ren told the Chronicle that each proposed site would be relatively small by today’s standards, even though the energy use would still be significant.

Each location is pitched as an 8- to 10-megawatt site. Ren said that it is roughly comparable to the electricity use of about 10,000 households, which helps explain why communities are paying close attention even before any deal is signed.

Five acres can still change a venue

Supporters say the proposal has a small footprint. Global Stack’s materials say each site would take up about 5 acres, which is only a part of much larger fairgrounds, such as the Cow Palace in Daly City, the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo, or the Calistoga Fairgrounds.

But even a small footprint can feel big when the use changes so sharply. A new tech facility can raise questions about noise, traffic, power demand, and whether a community event space starts drifting away from the public purpose people expect.

Calistoga showed the local risk

Calistoga offered an early glimpse of what this rollout could face across the state. After residents raised concerns about pollution, noise, water use, and the town’s small-scale feel, city officials said they would not move ahead with the fairgrounds concept.

That matters because it shows how quickly local resistance can build. Even when a project is described only as a presentation and not a formal application, many communities now treat data center proposals as requiring scrutiny from the start.

California is already split on data centers

This pitch arrives at a tense moment in California data center politics. Some places see them as future infrastructure and as a source of tax revenue. Others see them as power-hungry projects that bring more burden than benefit.

That divide is growing clearer. Oakley recently adopted a temporary moratorium on new data centers while city officials study the issue, and Calistoga backed away amid backlash. So even small “edge” facilities may run into the same concerns that have followed much larger projects statewide.

State connections add another layer

Another reason the story is getting attention is who is helping make introductions. Fair leaders told the Chronicle that Michael Flores, the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s deputy secretary for fairs and expositions, has helped connect Global Stack with local fairgrounds.

That does not mean the state has approved the projects. But it does show the proposal is moving through serious channels rather than staying a private cold call. For local boards, this can make the idea harder to dismiss and more important to study carefully.

The 100-year lease grabs attention

One of the boldest parts of the proposal is the timeline. Global Stack’s materials call for a 100-year land deal, turning a short-term fairgrounds experiment into a much more generational land-use decision.

That promise of stable revenue may attract cash-strapped venues, but it also raises the stakes for public debate. A century-long agreement is not just about today’s technology cycle. It is about who gets to shape these public spaces for decades to come.

For another data center update tied to tax breaks, public money, and AI growth, see why Pennsylvania’s $517 million fight is drawing scrutiny.

A fairground idea with statewide stakes

Right now, this is still more vision than reality. Some talks are preliminary, one notable site has already said no, and many key questions about power, community impact, and long-term economics remain unanswered.

But the idea is big enough to matter already. If Global Stack can move even a fraction of these projects forward, California could turn fairgrounds into a new kind of digital infrastructure network. That is why this unusual proposal is getting so much attention.

For another data center update tied to local growth, power demand, and tech infrastructure, see why Virginia’s booming industry became a national story.

Should California slow down and ask more questions before approving a huge data center buildout? Share your thoughts and drop a comment.

This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.

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