A private groundbreaking event for a massive hyperscale data center project in Tulsa drew protests Tuesday, as organizers revealed for the first time that tech giant Meta is behind the controversial development.
The April 21 event, hosted by Project Anthem at Vista at 21, marked the launch of Phase 1 of a planned data center campus spanning roughly 340 acres. While developers promoted the project’s economic benefits inside the invitation-only gathering, community members, tribal advocates, and local officials gathered outside, raising concerns about environmental impacts, transparency, and public accountability.
Protesters held signs and chanted outside the venue, criticizing what they described as a lack of meaningful community engagement. Indigenous-led climate justice organization Honor the Earth joined demonstrators in condemning the project and Meta’s involvement.
Critics pointed to the exclusive nature of the event as emblematic of broader concerns.
“Transparency and accountability to the community is critical, especially for a company that stands to profit from our land, our water and the data of our digital lives,” said Tulsa City Councilor Laura Bellis. “Today, I felt compelled to stay outside the private event, which I had been invited to, with the community members asking for answers and meaningful community engagement that has yet to happen.”
Bellis was joined by fellow City Councilor Jackie Dutton, both of whom stood with protesters rather than attend the event.
The announcement follows weeks of mounting opposition. Project Anthem previously withdrew its proposed Phase 2 after widespread community backlash. In response to growing concerns, the Tulsa City Council last month unanimously approved a citywide moratorium on new data center developments through the end of 2026.
Meta representatives say the project will bring economic benefits, including a $25 million investment in infrastructure, partnerships with Tulsa Tech and Tulsa Community College for workforce development, and assistance programs for low-income residents’ water and utility bills. The company also pledged to replenish water usage and avoid increasing energy costs for local ratepayers.
But opponents argue those commitments fall far short of addressing the long-term environmental and economic impacts.
Community members and organizers say the project has been marked by secrecy from the outset. Until this week, Project Anthem had not disclosed its financial backers, and critics say developers have repeatedly declined requests from residents and local leaders to hold public meetings.
That lack of transparency has left many Tulsa residents — including tribal citizens — uncertain about how the data center could affect water supplies, electricity costs, and local infrastructure.
“There has been ample opportunity for this project to engage with the community and be transparent about this project,” said Chey Morgan of the Stop Data Colonialism Coalition. “The fact that they will not meet with community members affected by this development is foreshadowing of what is to come.”
Morgan also raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest involving an attorney connected to the project who serves on the City of Tulsa Utility Board, and characterized the development as part of a broader pattern of extractive industries targeting vulnerable communities.
“This is just another extremely extractive industry coming into Tulsa to exploit our community,” Morgan said. “The fact that this event is invite only and has only been sent to selected delegates signals that this development does not care about community consent.”
Advocates with Honor the Earth echoed those concerns, linking the Tulsa project to a growing national debate over the environmental and social costs of artificial intelligence infrastructure.
“Time and time again, we witness hyperscale data center developers and companies like Meta push non-disclosure agreements onto municipal governments to manufacture consent, while simultaneously refusing to meet with community,” said Ash Leitka, the organization’s director of sovereignty and self-determination. “Not only does this sow public mistrust … it also begs the question, ‘what is there to hide?’”
Leitka warned that the impacts of large-scale data centers — including strain on water resources, increased energy demand, and broader environmental consequences — are often understated.
Organizing efforts in Tulsa have already yielded some results, including the temporary moratorium on new data centers. Still, opponents say the fight is far from over as Oklahoma emerges as a target for rapid expansion of AI and data infrastructure.
Across the country — from Oklahoma to the Southwest and the Great Lakes — communities are increasingly pushing back against major tech companies seeking to build data centers on or near Indigenous lands and resources.
Honor the Earth launched the No Data Centers Coalition in 2025 to connect these local efforts into a broader movement, framing the issue as one of environmental justice, tribal sovereignty, and community consent.
As Project Anthem moves forward with Phase 1, tensions in Tulsa underscore a growing national clash between the demands of the digital economy and the rights of communities most affected by its physical footprint.