Concerned community members meet at the Strand to talk about the new data center

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — About 50 community members met at the Strand Theatre to discuss their concerns about the new data center coming to Vicksburg.

On November 20, 2025, Amazon Web Services announced it is building a new data center in Warren County. The $3 billion investment has created excitement and concerns among residents. In response, Lily Pierson organized a meeting at the Strand Theatre for community members to discuss their concerns, saying, “I’ve never done anything like this before.” Warren County Supervisor Kellie Barfield was invited to the meeting but did not attend.

At 5:30 p.m. sharp, Pierson made an opening statement and then opened the floor for questions. People immediately expressed concern about how data center information is being handled, with one person calling elected officials “sheepish.” Another pointed out these centers typically choose low-income areas because anticipated jobs outweigh concerns about environmental impacts.

That led to another person mentioning a recent study linking data centers to higher cancer rates. Recent reports and studies indicate data centers—particularly those used for AI and hyperscale computing—can contribute to localized increases in cancer risks, primarily through environmental pollution. The mechanisms involve both air emissions from backup generators and water contamination, often affecting surrounding communities by increasing concentrations of carcinogenic substances. 

A man in the back countered, “What industry would you encourage to come here?” He went on to point out positive economic impacts already underway in the community, especially in housing. He noted the difficulty already with finding housing due to a lack of available properties and that developers are looking at Vicksburg to build entire neighborhoods.

A newcomer to Vicksburg mentioned Amazon has a lot of money and local elected officials should ask for a lot more for the community. While Amazon has committed to spending money annually with our schools, the amount they were offering was less than one-tenth of one percent of their total investment.

A man in the middle of the room recalled the casinos and all the promises politicians made to get them approved. He warned, “Be wary of the promises being made by politicians.”

The conversation went back-and-forth, with one person saying, “We need this desperately.”

Others expressed concern about air quality, the impact on our water supply, and energy usage. During the conversation, it was said environmental agencies nationwide have been financially gutted, “So, who will enforce standards?”

As the meeting wrapped up, someone noted, “We need to get with our elected officials and ask how we ensure this development happens responsibly.”

Pierson thanked everyone for attending and suggested another meeting may be held soon to expand on some of the concerns.