TEMPLE, Texas (KXXV) — Rowan Digital Infrastructure is moving forward with plans for a sixth and final data center in Temple, even as residents continue to push back against the company's growing footprint in the city.
The Lasso Building would be the third and final structure in Rowan's Project Temple development, which currently has two buildings under construction. The proposed facility would sit on an approximately 300-acre site adjacent to Project Temple, on land designated by the city and county for industrial growth.
Project Temple was approved by the City of Temple in fall 2025 and was originally envisioned as a three-building campus. During planning, the city identified the originally planned location for the third building as a site needed to support future landfill expansion. Rowan paused development of the third building, delaying it by nearly a year, and made the land available so the city's planning efforts could move forward. The landfill expansion is expected to serve the Temple area for more than 50 years, according to the City of Temple.
Because the Lasso Building will sit on a new parcel, it will go through the city's standard approval process. The Planning and Zoning Commission will consider the application in August, and the city council will consider it during hearings in September. If approved, construction is anticipated to begin in early 2027.
Elena Voytko is a part of Temple Stands Together, a group that has been protesting the projects and calling on state leaders to take action. The group is now working to change the city's charter rules when it comes to recalls after a failed effort earlier this year.
"Here in Temple, they're still breaking ground. They're digging into our soil. They're not stopping," Voytko said.
Voytko said the group has been warning residents about the pace of data center development in the city.
"The citizens — that is exactly what we have been sounding the alarm on. It's coming, we've got to stop it. Records show that the city council and mayor vote yes across the board for data centers and big establishments, and they do not hear the people's voice," Voytko said.
Earlier, Governor Abbott released a statement issuing a moratorium and audits on data centers. Voytko said she welcomes the dialogue but believes more action is needed.
"We need a special session. We need a freeze and moratorium on all the data center projects, and we need to get rules in place and regulations in place that protect humanity, the people, our future, our resources," Voytko said.
Project Temple currently represents approximately $1.4 billion in private investment and has created more than 500 construction jobs in 2026. The Lasso Building represents a minimum additional $700 million investment from Rowan.
Across Rowan's full footprint in Temple — Project Temple, Project Stampede, and Project Ranger — the company is building six data centers in total, representing at least $4.2 billion in combined private investment and at least 120 full-time jobs. Once operational, direct tax revenue from all six buildings will yield approximately $45 million annually for local schools, public services, and other shared community priorities.
Like all Rowan facilities in Temple, the Lasso Building will utilize a fully closed-loop cooling system that does not require a continuous water supply for operations beyond normal daily employee use.
Martin Romo, vice president of economic development and external affairs, said the decision to pause the project when the city needed the land was straightforward.
"When the City told us the land was needed for its landfill, adjusting our plans was a straightforward decision. Rowan is invested in Temple for the long term, and supporting infrastructure that serves our neighbors for five-plus decades is exactly the kind of creative solutions we value," Romo said.
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