A new artificial intelligence data center has been proposed for Mayes County. According to officials, the project is expected to generate approximately $500 million in tax revenue over the next decade while creating hundreds of jobs. This facility alongside others such as Project Anthem, put Oklahoma as an upcoming AI infrastructure hub in the United States.

Lambda announced its plans to construct the data center facility at MidAmerica Industrial Park near Chouteau.

Moreover, according to Lambda company leaders, they have been meeting with local officials and residents ahead of construction. Also, the leaders revealed that they plan to continue gathering community input as planning moves forward.

How the Proposed Data Center Address Electricity and Water Concerns

Data centers require significant electricity and water resources to run. These two issues have drawn increased attention from people as AI infrastructure expands nationwide.

1. Lambda to Pay for All Electricity Used by the Data Center Facility

Lambda said the facility will comply with Oklahoma’s Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act.  The facility will achieve this by ensuring the payment for all of the electricity used by the facility rather than passing those costs to residential utility customers.

2. Closed-Loop Technology to Reduce Overall Water Consumption

As for the water concerns, the company also stated that it will use closed-loop cooling technology. This technology enables the recycling of water through the cooling system to cut overall water consumption as compared with traditional cooling methods.

Why MidAmerica Industrial Park Was Chosen for the Facility

Additionally, according to officials, the site was selected within the existing industrial park to help limit impacts on nearby residential areas.

Gov. Kevin Stitt called the project an example of the type of investment Oklahoma wants to attract, citing the company’s commitment to cover its own energy costs while generating new tax revenue.

Oklahoma Department of Commerce CEO John Budd said the investment reflects confidence in the state’s workforce and infrastructure.

How the Tax Revenue Will Benefit Mayes County

Local leaders stated they expect the additional tax revenue to benefit schools. Also, they expect the tax revenue to benefit public services and infrastructure throughout the county.

Chouteau Mayor Brenda Cunningham referred to the investment as “a transformative commitment to economic development.” On the other hand, Mayes County Commissioner Steve Grossman stated that the expanded tax base could generate long-term resources for community priorities.

Additionally, Chouteau-Mazie Superintendent Josh Gwartney stated that the additional tax revenue could support teacher salaries. Also, he said that it could support facility improvements, advanced academic programs and expanded career and technical education opportunities.

MidAmerica Industrial Park and Lambda said they will continue meeting with local leaders and residents in the coming weeks as planning of the data center progress.

Lasyly, officials stated that more details about the construction schedule and future community investments will be revealed as the project proceeds.

Project Factsheet: Lambda AI Data Center

Project Developer: Lambda Inc.

Location: MidAmerica Industrial Park, near Chouteau, Mayes County, Oklahoma

Facility Type: Modular AI Data Center / “AI Factory” (High-density GPU cloud infrastructure for AI training and inference)

Economic and Fiscal Impact

  • Projected Tax Revenue: Estimated $500 million over the next decade
  • Job Creation: Expected to generate hundreds of local jobs during construction and long-term operations
  • Public Services Supported: Local school districts (Chouteau-Mazie Schools), public infrastructure, teacher salaries, and career/technical education programs

Resource Management and Sustainability

  • Power Provisioning: Complies with Oklahoma’s Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act—Lambda will cover 100% of its utility/electricity costs to prevent rate hikes for residential customers.
  • Cooling Technology: Utilizes closed-loop cooling systems to continuously recycle water, drastically reducing overall consumption compared to standard evaporative cooling systems.
  • Community and Siting: Situated within an established 9,000-acre industrial park to minimize physical, visual, and operational impacts on surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Key Stakeholders and Governance