County Slams Brakes On Mega Data Park

Aerial view of rural landscape with roads, fields, and scattered buildings — Photo: Kit Leong / Shutterstock

A $5 billion data center on a 90-acre empty mall lot was stalled after an online campaign swelled past 25,000 signatures, and an activist even floated a trampoline park instead.

Story Snapshot

Petition opposing the Landover data center exceeded 25,000 signatures, amplifying local pushback.
County leaders imposed a moratorium and tightened rules, forcing new approvals and delays.
Developers projected large tax gains from the project, citing tens of millions per year.
The trampoline-park “alternative” lacks any documented plan for the 90-acre site.

What Sparked The Showdown In Landover

NPR reported that local resident Taylor Frazier McCollum helped lead a petition that topped 25,000 signatures against a proposed Brightseat Tech Park data center at the long-vacant former Landover Mall site. The petition argued the project could harm the neighborhood’s look and bring environmental and social costs without enough input from residents. The site has sat empty for decades, making the debate about how best to reuse a 90-acre parcel both urgent and divisive.

Supporters of development stressed the upside. Lerner Enterprises and partners framed the data center as about $5 billion in private investment that could finally convert the grayfield into a tax engine. County economic officials promoted a broader shift toward technology development at the site. Some reporting cited projected county tax revenue near $13.7 million yearly, with other figures from supporters describing far higher combined tax yields at full buildout.

How County Actions Stalled The Project

County leaders responded to resident pressure and wider concerns. Prince George’s County formed a data center task force in 2025 to study environmental, infrastructure, and economic effects. The County Council later passed a moratorium and updated the rules, closing a 2021 approval path that could have let the project advance without new council review. As a result, the proposal must return for additional approval and faces delays under the strengthened siting standards.

Local television coverage stressed that the moratorium did not fully kill the plan but put it on hold and raised the bar for moving forward. That official posture matters. It means the fight is not finished, and the next steps will run through new tests on power demand, noise, lighting, traffic, and heat. These are the issues that most often drive public worry about data centers, both in Maryland and across the country.

The Trampoline Park Idea And The Jobs-Tax Tradeoff

Amid the uproar, a sound bite stood out: a trampoline park. Reports tied the suggestion to the activist’s push for a different use of the land. But there is no operator, plan, financing, or zoning path on record that shows a trampoline park could redevelop a 90-acre site or match the tax base a data campus might create. That gap highlights the core question: what realistic alternative will produce jobs and steady revenue for the county?

Backers say data centers are a proven way to turn a dead mall into a working asset with lower daily traffic than retail or housing, while sending strong tax receipts to local budgets. Critics say the harms and costs could land on nearby families, and they want tighter limits and clear studies first. Both points can be true. A prudent path is transparent review, accurate numbers, and a decision that protects neighbors while delivering growth.

Why This Fight Matters Beyond One Empty Lot

Maryland’s dispute mirrors a national wave. Researchers found residents are often less supportive of data centers than local officials, mainly due to stress on electricity, water, and quality of life. Many local governments have paused or restricted such projects while they update rules. For conservative readers, the lesson is simple: demand honest math, protect property rights, and reject activist theatrics that swap real jobs for feel-good ideas with no plan.