Fort Wayne annexation proposal receives final approval
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The Allen County Commissioners on Friday approved a proposal to annex nearly 730 acres of land into the city of Fort Wayne. The effort is part of Project Zodiac, in which a still-unnamed Fortune 100 company plans to build an $850 million data center campus on the city’s southeast side.
Our partners at WPTA-TV report the vote was unanimous among the commissioners and is the final vote needed to approve the annexation.
Last month, an attorney representing DMI FW LLC, which is the applicant for Project Zodiac, told the Allen County Plan Commission that the $850 million investment could create about 30 jobs, and could ultimately grow to a $3-$4 billion investment.
Many residents have expressed opposition to the project, primarily citing concerns over noise levels, environmental impacts and increased traffic. A lack of transparency over the company involved in the project was also a concern.
When the project was first announced in October, city officials said they couldn’t name the company “due to the competitive nature of their industry.”
It is still unclear when officials will announce the name of the company that will be building the data center or when construction could begin.
Mayor Tom Henry expressed his excitement for the project in an October interview with Inside INdiana Business Host Gerry Dick, which you can watch here.