From Voice of San Diego / Oct. 23, 2026
Ever since we broke the news that a huge data center might be built in downtown San Diego, local Democrats have been insisting its time to pump the breaks.
Thursday morning, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria posted a photo of himself signing an executive order that temporarily bans data centers on X.
“San Diego is putting clear rules in place before we allow data centers in our city,” he wrote.
San Diego Councilmembers Sean Elo-Rivera, Joe LaCava and Kent Lee gathered outside City Hall later that day announcing the proposal of a new city law that would place requirements on data centers built under their jurisdiction.
“We need more than a pause. We need laws in place to protect us from a tidal wave of harm,” Elo-Rivera said, citing his concerns that such projects raise utility bills for residents, and pollute the air and water.
The data center that sparked all this, if ever built, would be erected on federal land owned by the U.S. Navy on a site referred to as NAVWAR. The lawmakers acknowledged their actions Thursday wouldn’t be enough to halt what’s being explored by private developer, Manchester Financial Group.
“The city can’t stop this project on its own. Congress can,” Elo-Rivera said.
He urged San Diego’s congressional delegation to urge the Navy in writing to rule out a data center on the proposed redevelopment site of their 70 acres near the Midway District.
“Data centers… are the physical manifestation of so much we hate that is happening in the world right now,” Elo-Rivera said. “We will no longer sit idly by.”
Well, they’re finally doing one thing right for the citizens and environment of San Diego.
And in an unusual turn events, Congressmember Scott Peters opposes a data center at that location too.
Temporary… There are lots of potential Union Construction jobs to build a 400MW Data Center. Lots of phones ringing in our illustrious Council Offices. I recall when Midway Rising released their own poll results (how many weren’t in their favor?), Jen Campbell & Todd Gloria jumped on it like pit bulls on a pork chop. This isn’t over.
More progressive virtue signaling to distract voters from the San Diego’s real problems . Pathetic. Data centers are the new climate crisis.
Something to consider is that a data center will impact traffic less than 500 housing units. You require the owner to pay their own utilities and infrastructure. And for a city with budget issues, you figure out a way to extract some $$.
The City of San Diego will have absolutely no say or control of a data center built on federal property. IF the concept goes forward, only our elected members of Congress will have any opportunity to influence or block it. But I’m pretty sure Doug Manchester is a committed supporter of President Trump so good luck with that unless Nov. 3 delivers a massive number of new Democrats to the House.
There is some talk about them up here starting to happen. We’re on Columbia River dams power grid, and there is groundwater to steal and pollute, too. And I live in an extremely ignorant and under-educated Republican/MAGA-owned area. Perfect, eh?
In this county, there were ONLY Republicans on the local ballot…but State office races had better choices.
But these billionaire’s club owners do seem to love locating them in rural places where there isn’t any money to fight them.
More information:
Erin Brockovich: 4,000 People Asked Me To Investigate Data Centers. Here’s What I Found.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0rQlYyjx3o
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What Ohioans are doing about cancelling data centers:
https://time.com/article/2026/10/29/ohio-data-center-revolt-upending-midterms/?utm
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