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BESSEMER, Ala. - The developer behind the $14.5 billion data center initiative known as Project Marvel has submitted a request to rezone 900 additional acres of land in Bessemer. The land, currently zoned for agricultural use, would be reclassified as light industrial to accommodate the project, according to city officials.
Cleo King, a Bessemer City Council member representing District 7, confirmed that city attorney Aaron Killings informed the council about the rezoning request during a recent meeting. The additional acreage is intended to address concerns regarding potential conflicts with the Northern Beltline, a $5 billion proposed road project that could overlap with the data center site.
This request follows the council’s approval of a previous rezoning application in November, which converted nearly 700 acres of agricultural land into light industrial use for the same project. The developer, Logistic Land Investment LLC, is owned by the Atlanta-based TPA Group.
The expansion of Project Marvel has faced staunch opposition from local residents and some city officials. Residents near the proposed site, including Mary Rosenboom, have voiced concerns about the project's potential environmental and economic impacts, as well as its effect on their quality of life.
"It terrifies me about what will come", Rosenboom said. "These developers have no regard for the people who live here."
Rosenboom, along with other nearby residents, has maintained her opposition to the data center since the project was first announced. Critics argue that the construction and operation of the massive hyperscale data center - expected to include 18 buildings the size of Walmart Supercenters - would consume significant resources like water and electricity, while providing limited benefits to the local community.
"All this does is put money in big tech’s pockets at the expense of the people", Rosenboom said. "I think this is something where every resident needs to be standing up and screaming ‘No, no, no.’"
Cleo King, one of two council members who voted against the earlier rezoning in November, remains skeptical of the project. He has expressed concerns about the lack of meaningful engagement with the community during the decision-making process.
"I continue to be skeptical of this process", King said. "Birmingham officials are doing their due diligence. I think that’s something that we should have done as well."
He commended Birmingham’s consideration of a moratorium on data center development as an example of a more measured and thoughtful approach.
City attorney Aaron Killings suggested during the meeting that the rezoning of additional land could help mitigate environmental impacts associated with the project. However, Rosenboom dismissed this reasoning, questioning its logic.
"If there’s no environmental impact, how would this newly rezoned land mitigate an impact that doesn’t exist?" she asked. "It doesn’t make any sense."
The Alabama Department of Transportation has previously expressed concerns about the project’s interaction with the Northern Beltline. The road project, often referred to as a "road to nowhere", has been supported by political figures like Sen. Katie Britt. Developers of Project Marvel have stated they would make adjustments to avoid conflicts with the road construction.
Environmental advocates remain wary of the project’s impact. Charles Miller, policy director for the Alabama Rivers Alliance, criticized the lack of transparency and public notice regarding the rezoning request.
"We will continue to help the residents of Red Mountain Heights and Rock Mountain Lakes get answers about this misguided and ill-considered proposal", Miller said. "Now that the proposed footprint of this project has apparently doubled overnight, without advance warning or public notice, it is even more critical for the Bessemer City Council and TPA Group to respond to residents’ concerns."
Representatives of Logistic Land Investment LLC have not commented on the new rezoning request. Inside Climate News, which has been closely following the development, has requested a copy of the application but has not yet received a response.
The growing tension between community members, city officials, and Project Marvel’s developers underscores the complexity and controversy surrounding large-scale, resource-intensive projects such as this one. For now, the rezoning request marks another chapter in the debate over the future of Bessemer’s land and resources.
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