Abilene vs. San Angelo
Side-by-side comparison of data center projects in West Texas
Abilene — AI Superhub
Stargate AI Campus (Crusoe / Microsoft)
San Angelo — Smaller, Controlled Version
Proposed Skybox Data Center Campus
Size & Scale
1,000+ acres, 10+ buildings, 2.1 GW capacity
~350 acres, 6 buildings, 1.2 GW capacity
Key Insight
SA1 is significantly smaller but still one of the largest projects in West Texas history.
Power & Infrastructure
Gigawatt-scale, on-site generation, major grid strain
Uses existing Red Creek Substation capacity, CIAC-funded upgrades
Key Insight
SA1 leverages existing infrastructure; Abilene required entirely new grid buildout.
Water Use & Cooling
Large-scale water usage, evaporative cooling concerns
Closed-loop air-cooled, ~5 households/day ongoing after initial fill
Key Insight
SA1's closed-loop system is a significant improvement over traditional evaporative cooling.
Jobs & Economic Impact
Thousands of construction jobs, broad regional economic shift
3,000–5,000 construction jobs, 30–50 permanent staff, $29B+ projected output
Key Insight
Both projects offer construction employment but limited permanent jobs — typical for data centers.
Timeline & Status
Already under construction and expanding
Rezoning approved, agreements and regulations still being finalized
Key Insight
Abilene is a real-world example; SA1 still has time to incorporate lessons learned.
Community Concerns
Energy demand, water usage, noise, housing pressure
Strict noise limits, closed-loop cooling, transparency ongoing
Key Insight
SA1 is proactively addressing concerns that Abilene faced reactively.
Visual Comparison
Side-by-side infographic comparing Abilene and San Angelo data center projects
View Full Comparison InfographicLessons SA1 Should Adopt
- • Proactive community engagement before construction begins
- • Transparent public reporting on water and energy usage
- • Local hiring preferences written into the development agreement
- • Independent third-party monitoring of noise and environmental compliance
Mistakes SA1 Should Avoid
- • Approving agreements before environmental impact studies are complete
- • Allowing noise ordinance exemptions without community input
- • Underestimating housing and cost-of-living impacts on existing residents
- • Failing to disclose tax abatement terms before public vote
The Bottom Line
Abilene's Stargate campus shows what a data center project of this scale looks like in practice — both the economic benefits and the community disruptions.
San Angelo still has time to learn from Abilene's experience and negotiate stronger protections before the development agreement is finalized.