Canton resident Christine Gingerich lives just under four miles from the site where DAMAC Digital plans to build a major data center on Orchard View Drive SE. She has spent recent months petitioning across Stark County for the Conserve Ohio initiative, which would ban new data centers over 25 megawatts. Her concerns are straightforward: energy use, water consumption, and noise. “It sounds good, and I want to believe the developers,” she said after reviewing project materials. “I do have some concerns. They want to have safeguards, but how do we know it’s true?”
Gingerich and her neighbors will have a chance to put those questions directly to company officials on July 14, when DAMAC Digital holds a public forum at 6 p.m. at the Edward Peel Coleman Community Center, 1400 Sherrick Road SE. The Dubai-based digital infrastructure company will present site layouts and field questions from the community in partnership with the city of Canton.
Additional reference context is available at https://www.cantonrep.com/story/business/2026/07/10/damac-digital-shares-canton-ohio-data-center-plans-to-host-meeting/90873905007/.
The proposed facility would be the third major data center in Stark County. Two others are already under construction nearby: Bitdeer operates a 221-megawatt crypto mining facility in Massillon, partially operational and expected to be completed by fall, while Amazon is building a 240-megawatt data center in Perry Township south of Faircrest Street SW.
DAMAC Digital owns over 80 acres northeast of Trump Avenue SE and Orchard View Drive SE. The company received a demolition permit for residential structures on the property earlier this year. The development will consist of two highly efficient buildings and a substation designed to power artificial intelligence and cloud technology infrastructure. During construction, the project will employ hundreds of skilled trade workers. Once operational, the facility is expected to provide at least 60 permanent jobs.
Community sentiment, though, remains divided. Residents have packed recent government meetings in Perry Township and Canton, most expressing opposition or calling for caution. Skilled trade groups have voiced support, pointing to local tax revenue and employment benefits.
On the environmental side, DAMAC Digital has outlined several commitments. The company says it will fully fund the power infrastructure needed for its facility. The cooling system uses a closed-loop design that relies on municipal water in a one-time startup fluid mixture of 70 percent water and 30 percent propylene glycol, a low-toxicity substance recognized as safe by the FDA and also used in deicing solutions, medicines, and cosmetics. Fans cool the liquid as it recirculates inside the sealed system, similar to a radiator. The one-time water requirement will be less than one million gallons per building.
Gingerich reviewed those details and found some reassurance. She expressed cautious optimism about the closed-loop cooling system but remained skeptical about broader impacts. Her ask is modest: “We just want transparency and accountability with our officials.” She hopes Canton leaders will research data center impacts in other communities before proceeding.
Canton Mayor William V. Sherer II said the city welcomes that kind of scrutiny. “We’re looking forward to working with DAMAC to educate our community about its upcoming project and what that looks like for the City of Canton,” he said. “We’re committed to being transparent and encourage residents to come ask questions, learn about the project, and be part of the conversation.” The city is currently updating its zoning laws to regulate noise, utility matters, and other issues related to modern data centers, with City Council expected to vote on the measure July 27.
Hussain Sajwani, founder of the DAMAC Group, framed the project as a continuation of Canton’s industrial identity. “Canton has a proud history of building things that matter, and we want to continue that tradition responsibly,” he said in a statement released July 9. “By combining our development experience with eco-friendly design, we are proud to invest in Canton’s future while carefully safeguarding the local resources and quality of life that residents value most.”
C. Stephen MacKenzie, president and CEO of the Stark Economic Development Board, added that the county’s infrastructure history makes it a natural fit. “Building a digital foundation in Stark County permits us to be competitive in today’s emerging industries and embrace future opportunities,” he said.
The DAMAC Group was established in 1982 by Sajwani and 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 that the conglomerate would invest 20 billion dollars in data centers across the United States. The company has at least 35 data centers planned across 13 countries.
Meanwhile, the Conserve Ohio initiative that Gingerich supports initially sought to place a statewide ban on the November ballot but is now targeting 2027 to collect the needed signatures. Whether Canton’s July 27 zoning vote moves fast enough to address residents’ concerns before ground breaks remains an open question.
Community members can submit questions ahead of the July 14 forum through the project website at orchardviewdata.com.