The City of Broken Arrow has gone public with details of an unsolicited inquiry from a site selector representing an unnamed company interested in building a data center on a 51-acre parcel of undeveloped land in the eastern part of the city, emphasizing that the process remains in its earliest possible stage and that no agreements, incentives, or non-disclosure commitments of any kind have been made.

The Site and How the City Was Notified

City administration learned of the potential development through the Broken Arrow Economic Development Corporation, which relayed a request from a site selector for a pre-development meeting.

The land in question is a privately owned, undeveloped 51-acre tract located between the Creek Turnpike and State Highway 51 at 8521 S. 209th East Avenue.

The site is currently zoned Agricultural. City Manager Michael Spurgeon confirmed that the identity of the prospective company behind the inquiry remains unknown at this time.

No member of the City Council or the City Manager has met with representatives of the prospective company, and no incentives, economic development agreements, or assistance from the City have been discussed, requested, or agreed to.

What a Pre-Development Meeting Is and Is Not

City officials were careful to define the nature and limits of a pre-development meeting in their public disclosure.

According to the City, such meetings are internal working sessions between a developer or their team and City staff, designed to allow the site selector and company representatives to ask questions and learn about the City's zoning requirements, development standards, and building regulations as they relate to a potential project.

Pre-development meetings are not open to the public and have never been, the City stated. Critically, no approval of any part of a potential project is authorized during such a meeting.

The City said a pre-development meeting is anticipated within a couple of months.

A Firm Commitment Against Non-Disclosure Agreements

One of the most direct statements in the City's announcement concerned non-disclosure agreements, a matter that has drawn scrutiny in other communities where data center projects have been negotiated with limited public visibility. Spurgeon addressed the issue explicitly.

"No City Councilor, myself, or members of my staff have been asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement about this potential project, and we will not sign an NDA," Spurgeon said.

The City's official disclosure reiterated that point as a formal commitment, listing it among the current status facts the City wanted to make clear to residents.

Citizen Concerns Acknowledged Up Front

In announcing the inquiry, Broken Arrow officials acknowledged that data center developments have attracted significant public concern in the region and that residents have raised specific questions about the potential impacts of such facilities.

Spurgeon named those concerns directly, citing noise pollution, utility usage, including water and electricity consumption, and environmental impacts as issues the City recognizes and intends to monitor throughout any review process.

"It is very early in the process, so we don't have a lot of details just yet," Spurgeon said. "However, we do recognize the significant interest in data centers and the concerns citizens have about the potential impacts related to noise pollution, utility usage, including water and electricity, and the environment.

I assure Broken Arrow residents that as soon as we learn details, we will share them accordingly."

Due Diligence Process to Begin

In response to the pre-development meeting request, the City of Broken Arrow and the Economic Development Corporation said they will begin a due diligence process.

That process will include a comprehensive review of infrastructure needs required to support the project, coordination with the electric service provider to assess potential electrical impacts, and coordination with Rural Water District No. 4 to evaluate water service capacity.

The City also indicated it will examine environmental factors and public safety considerations as part of that review.

Rezoning Would Require Public Hearings

Should the project advance beyond the pre-development stage, it would face a formal and publicly visible regulatory process before any approvals could be granted. Because the site is currently zoned Agricultural, any development of the kind being contemplated would require a rezoning to Industrial Light.

That rezoning request would first be presented in a public hearing before the Planning Commission. If the Planning Commission recommended moving forward, the request would then be presented in a public hearing before the City Council.

The City stated clearly that any subsequent considerations to approve applications related to the project, including rezoning requests, would be made during meetings open to the public.

City Positions Itself as Resident Advocate

Spurgeon framed the City's posture toward the potential project in terms of its obligations to existing residents rather than to prospective developers.

He said the health, safety, and wellness of citizens would remain the top priority regardless of how the process unfolds.

"The City Council, myself, and my leadership team are committed to being your advocates and ensuring this potential proposal, like all proposals, meets or exceeds the requirements of our ordinances and engineering design standards, and would be a benefit to our community and the tremendous quality of life we enjoy in Broken Arrow," Spurgeon said.

The City said it will post updated information about the potential project to its website as details become available.