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Prince George's County lawmakers halting data center development

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Updated  September 16, 2025 9:06pm EDT
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FOX 5 DC
Debate over data centers continues in Prince George's County

Debate over data centers continues in Prince George's County

Lawmakers in Prince George?s County halting data center development- including a proposed site at the former Landover Mall. The county?s data task force wants *more time to review the environmental and economic impact of any potential data centers. FOX 5?s Tisha Lewis joins us from Upper Marlboro with more.

The Brief

    • Lawmakers in Prince George's County are pausing data center development.
    • The decision comes following multiple protests and demonstrations from residents who say they don't want the centers to be built.
    • The county’s data task force wants more time to review the environmental and economic impact of any potential data centers.
    • The data center task force is expected to share their recommendations in November.

PRINCE GEORGE'S CO., Md. - Lawmakers in Prince George’s County are halting data center development, including a proposed site at the former Landover Mall.

The county’s data task force wants more time to review the environmental and economic impact of any potential data centers.

What we know:

Landover Mall once called the 90-acre plot home but it’s been vacant for more than two decades.

Now, a data center is hoping to set up roots there, but the Prince George’s County council, opting to hold off on any data center development for at least 180 days amid massive opposition from residents and more.

"There are so many unknowns about data centers and we need an opportunity to let the data center task force do its job and look at best practices and understand the impact of data centers on residents," said District 5 council member Shayla Adams-Stafford. 

The former Landover Mall site is in her district. It’s also where a data center was planning to set up shop until now.

MORE: PG County officials move to pause data center projects

Dig deeper:

The pause on data centers comes not even a week after hundreds of residents protested plans for the data center development.

Several council members introduced legislation to pause plans to move forward with the data centers until at least November after lawmakers have had a chance to review the impact a data center campus could have on the community.

Some residents have raised concerns about traffic, energy demands and more. A change.org petition opposing the data centers coming to the former Landover Mall site now has more than 20,000 signatures.

MORE: Prince George's County residents protest proposed data center at former site of Landover Mall

"Environmental concerns, economic concerns and just concerns about residents’ health and well-being," said Taylor Frazier, who created the petition.

The former Landover Mall site is reportedly owned by Lerner Enterprises. FOX 5 has repeatedly reached out to them about the initial data center plans and now, this about-face. We are awaiting their response.

Meanwhile, Prince George’s County's data center task force is expected to share their recommendations in November.

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