Rowan seeks approval for final Temple data center

Rowan Digital Infrastructure is moving ahead with plans for what it describes as its sixth and final data center in Temple, with the proposed Lasso Building set to begin the city's approval process in August and September as community opposition continues.

The Lasso Building would be the third and final structure in Rowan's Project Temple development. The facility is planned for an approximately 300-acre site next to Project Temple, where two buildings are already under construction. According to the source article, the land is designated by the city and county for industrial growth.

Project Temple was approved by the City of Temple in fall 2025 and was initially planned as a three-building campus. Rowan later paused the third building after the city identified its original location as land needed for future landfill expansion. The company delayed that part of the project by nearly a year and made the land available so the city's planning could continue. The City of Temple said the landfill expansion is expected to serve the Temple area for more than 50 years.

Because the Lasso Building is proposed for a new parcel, it must go through the city's standard approval process. The Planning and Zoning Commission is expected to consider the application in August, and the city council is set to take it up during hearings in September. If the project is approved, construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027.

Opposition from residents has continued as Rowan expands in Temple. Elena Voytko is a part of Temple Stands Together, a group that has been protesting the projects and calling on state leaders to take action. The group is also working to change the city's charter rules related to recalls after a failed effort earlier this year.

"Here in Temple, they're still breaking ground. They're digging into our soil. They're not stopping", Voytko said.

Voytko said the group has been warning residents about the pace of data center development in the city.

"The citizens - that is exactly what we have been sounding the alarm on. It's coming, we've got to stop it. Records show that the city council and mayor vote yes across the board for data centers and big establishments, and they do not hear the people's voice", Voytko said.

The article also said Governor Abbott earlier released a statement issuing a moratorium and audits on data centers. Voytko said she supports the discussion but wants additional steps.

"We need a special session. We need a freeze and moratorium on all the data center projects, and we need to get rules in place and regulations in place that protect humanity, the people, our future, our resources", Voytko said.

Rowan said Project Temple currently represents approximately $1.4 billion in private investment and has created more than 500 construction jobs in 2026. The Lasso Building represents a minimum additional $700 million investment from Rowan.

Across Rowan's Temple developments - Project Temple, Project Stampede, and Project Ranger - the company is building six data centers in total, representing at least $4.2 billion in combined private investment and at least 120 full-time jobs. The source article said direct tax revenue from all six buildings, once operational, will yield approximately $45 million annually for local schools, public services, and other shared community priorities.

The article said the Lasso Building, like Rowan's other Temple facilities, will use a fully closed-loop cooling system that does not require a continuous water supply for operations beyond normal daily employee use.

Martin Romo, vice president of economic development and external affairs, said Rowan's decision to shift plans when the city sought the land for landfill expansion reflected the company's long-term plans in Temple.

"When the City told us the land was needed for its landfill, adjusting our plans was a straightforward decision. Rowan is invested in Temple for the long term, and supporting infrastructure that serves our neighbors for five-plus decades is exactly the kind of creative solutions we value", Romo said.

Read the source