Fort Meade Votes on Tech Hub Future

0:00It's April 8th. This is Tampa Bay News today, powered by AI. I'm Corey with the story. A massive data center project in Fort Mead, Florida just cleared a big step forward. The local planning and zoning commission voted Tuesday to approve Stonebridge's proposal for Maryland. It's set to cover 1.9 million square feet at first, with room to grow to 4.4 million. The City Commission now has the final say on April 14th. Stonebridge promised a $10 million boost to local infrastructure, plus high-paying jobs for this small town of 5,300 people. They save these centers power everything we do online, making them key to today's world. But residents aren't buying it. About 500 folks signed a petition against it, pushing for a public vote that got shot down. They worry about the changes to their quiet community. The vote was pushed back from last month to hear more public input. State rules push for smart water use and no power subsidies, but cities like Fort Mead still call the shots.

1:01Eyes are locked on that April 14th meeting, where this could reshape a sleepy Polk County spot into a tech hub or stay the same old town.