Canton Council Eyes Data Center Zoning Rules as DAMAC Plans Major Facility

Canton City Council is scheduled to vote July 27 on updated zoning ordinances that would govern noise, utility usage, and other operational matters tied to data center development, a regulatory move that frames the broader story of DAMAC Digital’s proposed hyperscale facility in southeast Canton.

DAMAC Digital, a wholly owned subsidiary of Dubai-based DAMAC Group, will present its plans for the Orchard View project at a public forum on July 14 at the Edward Peel Coleman Community Center, 1400 Sherrick Road SE, beginning at 6 p.m. The meeting, organized in partnership with the city, will include facility layout displays and a question-and-answer session with residents. The company has also set up a project website at orchardviewdata.com for written inquiries.

Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II has framed the forum as part of the city’s transparency commitment, saying officials are “looking forward to working with DAMAC to educate our community about its upcoming project and what that looks like for the City of Canton.” The timing of the council’s zoning vote, just two weeks after the public meeting, suggests city leadership is moving deliberately to establish regulatory guardrails before major facilities come online.

The proposed facility would occupy more than 80 acres northeast of Trump Avenue SE and Orchard View Drive SE. DAMAC Digital obtained a demolition permit for residential structures on the property earlier this year. The company has not publicly disclosed investment amounts or facility size specifications and did not respond to requests for comment on those details.

Project specifications released by DAMAC outline two highly efficient buildings and a substation designed to support artificial intelligence and cloud technology infrastructure. Construction is expected to employ hundreds of skilled trade workers, with the completed facility providing at least 60 permanent jobs. DAMAC Digital has committed to fully funding the required power infrastructure.

The cooling system is a central technical feature of the proposal. DAMAC plans to use a closed-loop design that recirculates a fluid mixture of 70 percent water and 30 percent propylene glycol, operating similarly to a vehicle radiator, with fans cooling the liquid as it cycles through the sealed system. Propylene glycol is classified by the FDA as generally recognized as safe and is used in deicing solutions, medicines, and cosmetic products. The one-time water requirement for startup would be less than 1 million gallons per building.

C. Stephen MacKenzie, president and CEO of the Stark Economic Development Board, expressed support for the project’s environmental approach. “Building a digital foundation in Stark County permits us to be competitive in today’s emerging industries and embrace future opportunities,” MacKenzie said in a prepared statement.

DAMAC Group founder Hussain Sajwani described the project in terms of community obligation. “Canton has a proud history of building things that matter, and we want to continue that tradition responsibly,” Sajwani said in a July 9 news release. “The Canton Orchard View project is a way for DAMAC Digital to be a supportive and transparent neighbor.”

The Orchard View facility would become the third major data center project underway in Stark County. Bitdeer operates a 221-megawatt crypto mining facility in Massillon that is partially operational and scheduled for completion by fall. Amazon is constructing a 240-megawatt data center in Perry Township south of Faircrest Street SW.

DAMAC Group, established in 1982 as a logistics and catering company, has since expanded into property development, hospitality, retail, fashion, and data centers across the Middle East and Central Asia. DAMAC Digital was created in 2021 as a wholly owned subsidiary. In January 2025, President Donald Trump and Sajwani announced a $20 billion investment commitment for data centers across the United States. The subsidiary currently has at least 35 data centers planned across 13 countries.

Community response to data center development in the region has split along clear lines. Residents have filled recent government meetings in Perry Township and Canton, with most expressing opposition or calling for caution. Skilled trade organizations have countered with support, citing local tax revenue and employment benefits.

Canton resident Christine Gingerich has been circulating petitions for the Conserve Ohio initiative, which seeks to ban new data centers exceeding 25 megawatts. The organization initially targeted a statewide ballot measure for November but shifted its timeline to 2027 to allow additional signature collection. Gingerich lives just under four miles from the proposed Orchard View site and has raised concerns about energy consumption, water use, and noise.

She acknowledged some appeal in DAMAC’s closed-loop cooling design. “It sounds good, and I want to believe the developers,” Gingerich said. “I do have some concerns. They want to have safeguards, but how do we know it’s true?” Her question points to the accountability gap that the July 27 zoning vote may begin to close, though whether the updated ordinances will include enforceable monitoring and disclosure requirements remains to be seen.