Canton Council to Vote on Data Center Tax Deals

The November 2 vote will determine if three data center projects receive 75% tax abatements over 30 years.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Data Centers

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The Canton City Council will vote November 2 on proposed 75% tax abatements for three new data center developments in the city. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should city governments offer significant tax breaks to attract large data center projects?

Canton City Council is scheduled to vote on November 2 regarding 75% property-tax abatements for three separate data center projects. These proposals, which have faced months of community opposition, would provide the city with a total of $62 million in compensation over a 30-year period.

Why it matters

The agreements serve as a strategy to secure long-term municipal revenue and fund local economic development. City officials anticipate the tax structure will make Canton more resilient against economic downturns while facilitating large-scale infrastructure investment.

The projects are set to operate under 15-to-30-year tax abatements, requiring developers to provide annual service payments in lieu of standard taxes. Total city revenue is projected to reach $62 million, supported by a 2.5% city income tax rate and direct payments of $1 million per building.

The players

Canton City Council

The legislative body currently evaluating tax incentives for industrial data center development.

MDG Canton Purchaser LLC

A project developer currently seeking tax abatements for a data center site near Millerton Street.

Georgetown Road PG LLC

A facility developer proposing infrastructure projects located near Marietta Avenue and Georgetown Road.

DAMAC Digital Solution Ohio LLC

A developer involved in planning site infrastructure for data center operations near Trump Avenue.

The details

The proposed agreements cover facilities developed by MDG Canton Purchaser LLC, Georgetown Road PG LLC, and DAMAC Digital Solution Ohio LLC. To mitigate environmental risks, the city requires developers to remove diesel storage tanks, decommissioned server hardware, and e-waste upon the conclusion of facility operations. The projects are planned for specific sites, including areas near Millerton Street, Central Avenue SE, and Trump Avenue SE.

Timeline

  1. The Canton City Council will hold a vote on the proposed tax deals on Nov. 2.

  2. The proposed tax abatements are structured for durations of 15 to 30 years.

  3. The city projects $62 million in revenue will be generated over a 30-year timeline.

The Tech Race

Canton is expanding its use of Community Reinvestment Area Agreements to compete for specialized data center infrastructure. The move aligns with wider regional efforts to secure high-investment, low-occupancy technology facilities.

The projects are estimated to generate approximately 148 permanent jobs for the local community. Residents should monitor the upcoming vote for final details on how these developments will influence local city income tax allocations.

The takeaway

The city’s proposal highlights the trade-off between immediate industrial investment and long-term tax revenue projections. Residents should watch the November 2 vote to see if the council adopts the 30-year abatement terms as currently proposed.

Further reading

For more on how municipalities manage infrastructure growth, see the latest in Data Centers.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Canton Repository.

Live Poll

Should city governments offer significant tax breaks to attract large data center projects?