Data Center Fears Spark Heated Walls Listening Session

Tempers flared at the first Walls listening session Monday night, as residents pressed town leaders on whether a data center could be coming to the small DeSoto County town and accused officials of keeping them in the dark. Mayor Keidron Henderson hosted the Oct. 12 session at Walls Town Hall, the first of three planned meetings meant to gather residents’ ideas for the town’s future.

According to the DeSoto Times-Tribune, which covered the meeting, the data center question took over the first part of the evening. Some exchanges turned into open arguments before the mayor called for order and moved the conversation to residents’ broader goals for Walls.

Data Center Dominates First Walls Listening Session

The sessions grew out of the Sept. 22 Walls Planning Commission meeting, when commissioners denied a request to rezone about 1,200 acres for industrial use, a change that opponents feared would open the door to a data center. Residents have pointed to the xAI data center and power plant in neighboring Southaven, and the noise complaints around it, as an example of what they don’t want.

Henderson asked that data center comments be handled first. Residents said the town has not been open about what kind of development may be coming, and several asked for more transparency from the Board of Aldermen.

Among the speakers:

• Robert Long, curator of the DeSoto County Museum, argued the land in question is historically significant. It is believed to be near where Hernando de Soto first saw the Mississippi River. Long said other sites in Walls could host a data center if one is ever proposed, and he urged leaders to treat the issue as a human concern, not a racial one.
• Alderman Keith White denied selling farmland to a data center developer and called a data center in Walls “a long shot.” Residents Emily and John Harris questioned White about past remarks. White acknowledged referring to “the rich people living on the Hill” but said no one working for the town had discussed a data center with anyone.

The newspaper reported that White left Town Hall shortly after the heated exchange. Henderson also pushed back when Long suggested board members were “drinking the Kool-Aid,” calling the remark speculation and asking attendees to choose their words carefully.

Mayor Shifts Focus to the Town’s Future

After about 45 minutes of data center discussion, Henderson asked the crowd to move on to what residents want to see in Walls, such as services, amenities, and growth that fits the community. The rest of the session ended without further arguments.

Henderson has said he will take residents’ feedback to the Board of Aldermen before the town moves forward on any major development. He has also said publicly that there are no current plans for a data center in Walls.

Remaining Walls Listening Sessions

Two more sessions are scheduled:

• Monday, Oct. 19: 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. (the Times-Tribune reports this session will be held at the Walls municipal courthouse)
• Saturday, Oct. 24: 10 a.m.

The town has asked residents to sign up ahead of time. Contact Walls Town Hall or check the Town of Walls’ official Facebook page for registration and location details.

Data centers have become a major issue across the Mid-South this fall. Residents near Southaven’s xAI facility have sued over turbine noise, and Shelby County commissioners are weighing a temporary moratorium on new data centers in unincorporated areas.

Related: Walls Mayor Sets Listening Sessions on Town’s Future | Walls Planning Commission Denies Rezoning Request

Source: DeSoto Times-Tribune