Pinal County’s Board of Supervisors last week unanimously approved a land-use amendment that would pave the way for a data center just south of Maricopa.

It was the third data-center project the board approved Wednesday. The other two are located near Picacho Peak State Park and east of Stanfield.

Tempe-based W Holdings plans to construct a 500-acre Energy Generation and Technology Campus northeast of White-and-Parker and Teel Roads, abutting the southern boundary of the Ak-Chin Indian Community. Plans include a data center, battery energy storage system and a natural gas power plant.

Court Rich of Rose Law Group said construction is valued at $10 billion, split between construction and equipment costs. He said the project would create 1,000 permanent jobs in the region.

“If this project were in place today … in the City of Maricopa, it would be the third-largest employer in the city with just the direct jobs at that location, if you had 500 jobs there,” he said.

Both the county’s Citizens Advisory Committee and its Planning and Zoning Commission recommended approval.

The county received a dozen letters of opposition, most citing concerns over limited long-term job opportunities, water use, pollution and disappearing desert and farmland.

Supervisor Mike Goodman, who represents San Tan Valley, said while he recognized concerns over disappearing farmland, “growth and change is inevitable.”

“There’s nothing we can do about that and there’s a good reason behind that. If we’re not growing, we’re shrinking,” he said.

Support for the project comes from Electrical District No. 3, AZ Tech Council, several fire districts and some residents, while the City of Maricopa expressed neutrality.

Ak-Chin Vice Chair Delia Carlyle reiterated the community is not opposed to the project but is “definitely opposed to where the site is.”

“The site itself is known to have a lot of artifacts there and human remains,” she said. “What we’re worried about, concerned about, is there are sites out there that have been identified and, unfortunately, there are other sites that will be identified out in that area.”

County Supervisor Rich Vitiello (R-Maricopa) said he was willing to facilitate meetings between Ak-Chin and the developer to help address those concerns.

“I really want to make sure that their input is heard … they’re interested in the project, but they want to make sure their land’s being protected and their artifacts are,” he said.