A 300-acre data center campus could be coming to Ohio’s Miami Valley.

Developer PRSM has applied to rezone two parcels of land totalling 300 acres, located south of the I-70 highway in Preble County, from agricultural to limited industrial use, facilitating the construction of data centers.

PRSM hopes to market the sites to hyperscale clients.

A public meeting was held on Tuesday in Preble, where residents queued up to voice their opinions on the development. Local media outlet 2 News reported that some brought garden chairs into the meeting room to create more seating space.

Those who spoke at the meeting voiced concerns that a data center development could cause energy bills in the area to rise, and may impact the local water supply.

In comments to 2 News, PRSM president Patrick Scanlon said the data center would bring jobs to the region, as well as funding local schools and boosting tax revenue in Preble County.

“We’ll hopefully be able to show that it will deliver on all the values promised,” Scanlon said, adding “if we can’t find the right buyer, we’ll rezone to agriculture.”

The rezoning request will return for consideration by Preble County’s Board of Commissioners at a meeting on October 1.

According to its website, PRSM is a land development company specializing in digital infrastructure. It was set up in 2022 and is headquartered in Arlington, Virginia.

It was set up in 2022 and claims to be pursuing hyperscale data center developments in five US states, including Ohio.