Fort Worth Pauses New Data Center Development Projects
The 90-day moratorium halts new applications as the city balances tax revenue and infrastructure management.
Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Data Centers
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The Fort Worth City Council has initiated a 90-day moratorium on new data center applications, pausing a sector that has seen significant development at the Alliance campus. The move comes as local stakeholders debate the balance between rapid infrastructure growth and long-term utility management.
Why it matters
Data centers generate substantial local tax revenue and are viewed by proponents as critical for national infrastructure security. This moratorium signals a shift in how municipalities manage the resource intensity of large-scale computing facilities.
The Alliance campus in Fort Worth completed 6 million to 7 million square feet of development deals in the past 12 months. This growth has supported 10,000 manufacturing jobs tied to the data-center supply chain.
The players
Ross Perot Jr.
A prominent developer and executive who advocates for industrial expansion and the regional growth of the Alliance campus.
Fort Worth City Council
The local governing body responsible for zoning, utility planning, and the current regulatory pause on data center applications.
Alliance
A massive industrial and data center development in Fort Worth that hosts facilities for major technology and financial firms.
The details
Data centers in the area frequently rely on behind-the-meter power, which is electricity generated by private natural gas turbines rather than drawing exclusively from the public grid. Industry advocates emphasize that responsible expansion requires implementing closed-loop water systems, which recycle water to minimize consumption during cooling operations. These facilities are often concentrated in corridors like the I-35 to leverage proximity to existing industrial infrastructure.
Timeline
August 2026: Fort Worth City Council voted to begin the moratorium process.
October 2026: Ross Perot Jr. spoke at a Fort Worth Chamber event.
November 10, 2026: A public hearing is scheduled regarding the moratorium.
February 16, 2027: The tentative date for final adoption of the moratorium.
The Tech Race
The regional development at Alliance has accelerated rapidly alongside the broader national race to outpace China in critical computing capacity. Fort Worth is now testing a regulatory framework to manage these resource-heavy facilities as the local population moves toward a projected 12 million residents.
The immediate impact of this 90-day pause affects new project applicants and regional land developers currently seeking municipal zoning approvals. Residents should watch the upcoming public hearing process to see how new sustainability standards might influence future utility costs and regional development.
The takeaway
Fort Worth is entering a critical evaluation period to reconcile its role as a massive data center hub with long-term infrastructure sustainability. Stakeholders and industry observers should track the November 10 public hearing for initial details on the proposed development requirements.
What happens next
A public hearing on the moratorium is scheduled for November 10, 2026, with a tentative final adoption date set for February 16, 2027.
Further reading
Learn more about the region's infrastructure landscape in the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Fort Worth Inc..
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