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Residents in Tulare and Kings counties have concerns about the possibility of small data centers coming to the fairgrounds in both counties sometime in the future.
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The Tulare and Kings counties fairgrounds are evaluating a proposed partnership with Global Stack LLC to help strengthen the fairgrounds long-term financial sustainability as year-round public venues. The California-based company plans to build a network of edge computing systems at fairgrounds throughout the state.
It is unclear how much money the partnership would bring to each of the fairgrounds annually. Details of the proposal, including the location of the project on the fairgrounds or timeline, have not been disclosed by either party.
The proposal under consideration is not for the construction of a traditional hyperscale commercial data center, according to a news release by Kings and Tulare counties fairgrounds earlier this week.
Global Stack’s proposal includes a network of compact, 8- to 10-megawatt, self-contained edge computing systems approximately the size of a standard shipping container and “designed to strengthen California’s emergency communications and resilience infrastructure.“ The network would operate locally to support first responders and emergency operations during wildfires, floods, earthquakes, power outages and other disasters.
But community members worry about how the project could affect the area if both proposals are approved.
This week, the Tulare and Kings counties fair boards heard from residents who were mostly in opposition to the small data centers coming to their backyards, citing concerns about future water and pollution issues in the area.
Every unit uses a closed-loop cooling system and would not use local water once operational, according to Global Stack.
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At its Tuesday meeting, the Tulare County Fair board did not act to lease two to five acres of underused fairground land to Global Stack for the project. The lease would have been for about 100 years. The was tabled. It is unclear when the board will bring back the item for consideration.
The day prior, people showed up to the Kings Fair board‘s meeting to voice opposition to the future partnership with Global Stack. However, the Kings Fair did not have an item about Global Stack on its Monday meeting agenda. It is unclear when the Kings Fair board may put the project on its agenda for discussion or approval.
Dena Rizzardo, CEO of the Kings and Tulare county fairs, did not respond to The Fresno Bee requests for comment on Wednesday.
Rizzardo said in the news release that there is misinformation spreading about the project being proposed at both fairgrounds, clarifying that both projects are not hyperscale commercial data centers. But many residents expressed their doubts at Tuesday’s meeting and want fair officials to slow the process and provide more information.
Rizzardo said both fairgrounds’ boards will “perform our due diligence and determine whether a proposal serves the best interests of the public,” including evaluating its environmental impact to the community. She said the boards are committed to “transparency and factual information.”
Global Stack could not be reach Wednesday afternoon for comment.
This story was originally published July 24, 2026 at 5:30 AM with the headline “As Kings and Tulare fairgrounds consider leasing land for data centers, communities balk.”
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