The Caddo Parish Commission on Dec. 2025 approved a resolution establishing parish-level incentive terms to attract data centers outside the city limits, a move supporters said will help recruit large technology projects while opponents urged more public outreach and clarity on water and environmental impacts.

Supporters framed the package as a competitive, protective way to win economic investment. Commissioner John Atkins described substantial construction spending and permanent jobs tied to such projects and said additional water purchases could help fund infrastructure upgrades for the city of Shreveport. Justin Dixon of the North Louisiana Economic Partnership, who helped recruit past major projects, told the commission: "We help recruit these companies and help these companies grow with your help." Commissioner Gregory Young cautioned about resisting change but argued the region must act to capture opportunities, saying, "Artificial intelligence is not coming. It's here already."

Opponents — both members of the public and some commissioners — said the process had felt rushed and flagged secrecy and nondisclosure agreements tied to negotiations. Resident Francis Kelly asked for more time for community fact-finding and said: "There hasn't been transparency around it." Commissioner Stefan Jones pressed negotiators to require repeated educational meetings in the pilot agreement; project counsel agreed to add that commitment during pilot negotiations.

Officials and staff sought to clarify the scope of the action. County negotiators and counsel repeatedly said the resolution sets terms the parish is willing to offer (a pilot/pilot agreement) and does not itself authorize construction, land-use approvals, or special permits. Commissioner Mike Posada and counsel explained that companies still must complete all permitting processes, including special permits and approvals by the Metropolitan Planning Commission and the city where projects are inside city limits. The administration and attorneys also described specific protections in the term sheet: requirements for companies to secure permanent jobs or pay financial penalties, to repair roads they damage during construction, and to fund needed fire-service improvements where applicable.

Questions about water were central to public concern. Brandon Snead, director of water and sewer for the city of Shreveport, told the commission the system has been modeled for large customers and that the department's analysis shows it can meet projected demand, stating, "We can more than meet that." Officials also said companies commonly assist with infrastructure upgrades — for example, funding towers or improvements — as a condition of service.

The resolution was presented by motion and the body moved to a vote after debate. The Commission adopted Resolution 48, which directs support for one or more pilot term sheets through the Northwest Louisiana Finance Authority; transcript discussion characterized the action as setting parish terms rather than approving a specific final agreement or construction plan. Commissioners and negotiators said future steps could still require separate local approvals, including zoning and special-use reviews, and that any company seeking the parish pilot would need to meet the negotiated conditions.

The next procedural steps are outreach and negotiation: commissioners secured commitments to require community meetings as part of subsequent pilot agreements and the speaker organizations said they would return to answer specific technical questions (water modeling, road impacts, and workforce plans) in public sessions. Residents who oppose rapid approval said they will continue to press for broader public engagement ahead of any land-use approvals or final project agreements.