We wanted to believe the promises. So we went looking for proof that data centres deliver lasting benefits to rural communities. Here is what we actually found.
Quincy, Washington: The Closest Thing to a “Success Story”
Quincy (population ~8,500) hosts data centres for Microsoft, Yahoo!, and Intuit. The town built a new fire station, library, and park from data centre tax revenue. On the surface, this looks exactly like what success should look like.
But the numbers tell a very different story. Washington State’s own audit found that data centres paid $22 million in property tax while the state lost $57 million in sales tax exemptions. That is a net loss of $35 million per year to Washington taxpayers.
This is not a success story. It is a transfer of wealth from the state general fund to one small town. And it is not replicable at scale for other communities.
The Dalles, Oregon: Even Google Fell Short
Google arrived in The Dalles in 2006 as a named end user with a long-term community commitment. They built on cheap hydro power from the Columbia River — a unique natural resource advantage that Wheatland County does not have.
Even with all of that, the jobs were lower than promised. Google created roughly 150 permanent jobs, far below the initial projections. The Dalles is the best-case scenario, and it still required billions in tax breaks and a massive, unique natural resource.
What a Real Success Story Requires
We synthesized the research from the Brookings Institution, NCRC, and TechPolicy.Press. Seven conditions emerge from every genuine data centre success story:
- Named end user. Diode has none.
- Community benefits agreement with enforceable terms. Diode has none.
- Local hiring commitments with training programs. Diode has none.
- Independent environmental impact assessments. Diode has none.
- Proper setbacks from residential and agricultural areas. Diode has none.
- Full property tax from day one with no abatements. Diode likely expects abatements.
- Decommissioning bond to cover eventual removal. Diode has none.
That is seven for seven conditions that Diode does not meet.
The Rejection Wave Is Real
According to Data Center Watch 2025, $64 billion in US data centre projects have been blocked or delayed by local opposition. There are 142 active opposition groups across 28 states. This is not NIMBYism. It is bipartisan: 55% Republican, 45% Democrat.
Consider what happened in communities that said no:
- Peculiar, MO: Unanimous council vote to remove data centres from zoning entirely.
- Charles City, VA: Overwhelming community opposition forced withdrawal.
- Prince William County, VA: Residents voted out every council member who supported a data centre.
- Cascade Locks, OR: Voters recalled port officials who supported a data centre.
Diode’s Pattern: Rejected Twice, Now Here
Diode has been rejected in Peculiar, Missouri and Charles City, Virginia using this same playbook. Wheatland County is the third attempt. The question is not whether data centres can ever work. It is whether this deal, with this developer, under these conditions, is right for our community.
Bottom Line
If Diode wants to be the exception, they should act like Google. Name the end user. Sign a community benefits agreement. Fund independent environmental studies. Commit to full property tax from day one.
Until then, the pattern speaks for itself.
Learn the facts. Then make your voice heard.