Two proposed hyperscale datacentres in and near Little Rock have prompted cross-party opposition, with residents and local leaders worried about pressure on water supplies, electricity bills and natural resources. Critics also argue that the developments risk repeating racial and economic inequities by converting rural, Black-owned land to industrial use, while supporters point to investment and growth.

Google plans a $1bn, 1.43m-square-foot facility on 384 acres at the Port of Little Rock, while Avaio has proposed a $6bn site about 10 miles south in unincorporated Pulaski County. Arkansas law prevents local governments from banning datacentres outright, although they can regulate them; the provision was added to a 2023 law initially focused on crypto mining. Cheap land and industrial power—around 5–7 cents per kWh, below the US average of 8.71 cents—have made Arkansas attractive to such projects.