A Letter From the City Manager - May 15, 2026
To the City of Claremore,
Over the past several months, there has been a great deal of conversation surrounding the proposed data center project in the Claremore Industrial Park. As your City Manager, I understand that projects of this size naturally bring questions, concerns and strong opinions. I also understand how important it is that our residents receive clear, accurate information as the City Council prepares to consider this project.
Unfortunately, much of the information circulating publicly has been incomplete, misleading or speculative. Because of that, I want to take this opportunity to share factual details about the proposed development, explain the work that has gone into evaluating it and help clarify some of the most common misconceptions we have heard from the community.
First and foremost, no taxpayer funds are being used to support any portion of this project. The City of Claremore has approached this project with caution, transparency and extensive due diligence. For nearly two years, City staff, consultants, utility partners, legal counsel and economic development professionals have worked to evaluate every aspect of the proposal to ensure Claremore residents, taxpayers and utility customers are protected. It is also important to recognize that many business development opportunities are discussed and evaluated over the course of several years and ultimately never move forward. This project has followed the same careful review and evaluation process used for other economic development prospects within our community, with each step focused on protecting the long-term interests of Claremore and its residents.
In addition, the City and Claremore Economic Development have maintained a publicly accessible FAQ and information page since January to provide residents with accurate project information and updates. We encourage anyone seeking additional details to review the materials available here.
The project is being developed by Beale Infrastructure, an American-owned, publicly traded company, and is intended to support cloud storage and streaming services, not artificial intelligence or machine learning operations.
If approved, the project would represent an estimated $3–4 billion private investment into our community over the next five to seven years. The development is expected to create hundreds of jobs through construction, operations, maintenance, security, HVAC and information technology services. Beyond direct employment, the project would also generate long-term economic activity and new revenue streams that will fund infrastructure improvements, public safety investments, and the community priorities Claremore has had to defer for decades.
A key point I want to emphasize is that the proposed site is already zoned for industrial use within the Claremore Industrial Park. No rezoning has been requested or required. The City Council is not voting on whether data centers are allowed at this location. That use is already permitted under existing zoning regulations and law. The Council’s consideration is related to the proposed Tax Increment District (TID) and development agreement associated with the project.
Residents have raised direct questions about utilities and environmental impact and they deserve direct answers. Based on the proposed closed-loop, air-cooled design, the facility’s water usage will total no more than 15,000–20,000 gallons per day, and is primarily limited to domestic uses such as restrooms and breakrooms. City engineers and utility staff have confirmed that Claremore’s existing excess water and sewer capacity is sufficient to support the project as proposed without straining our capacities in any way.
Additionally, the project’s electrical infrastructure would operate through a dedicated GRDA-owned substation connected directly to GRDA transmission lines. The facility would not rely on Claremore’s existing electric distribution system, and the project would not increase electric rates for Claremore residents or businesses.
The City has also evaluated concerns related to noise, lighting, traffic, stormwater and environmental protections. Current plans include enclosed sound-dampening systems, shielded downward-facing lighting, controlled site access, on-site stormwater detention requirements and compliance with all state and federal environmental regulations.
Perhaps the most significant point for residents is that all costs associated with project-related infrastructure and construction costs would be paid entirely by the developer and end-user, not by Claremore taxpayers or utility ratepayers. The City will require legally binding agreements, engineering approvals and financial guarantees before any development proceeds.
As your City Manager, I want residents to know that this process has been built on protecting Claremore residents first and moving forward only when the city’s due diligence is complete. Our responsibility is to carefully evaluate opportunities that will strengthen Claremore’s economy while protecting the character, resources and future of our community. That responsibility remains at the center of every discussion surrounding this project.
Regardless of where you stand on this proposal, I encourage you to review accurate project information available online and continue participating in the public process.
Thank you for your time, your engagement, and your continued investment in the future of Claremore.
Sincerely,
John Feary
City Manager
City of Claremore
Claremore City Manager
The City of Claremore operates under a Council-Manager form of government, which combines the political leadership of an elected city council and the managerial experience of an appointed manager. The city manager contract is evaluated annually by the Claremore City Council.
Meet Your City Manager
John Feary was appointed to serve as Claremore City Manager in December 2020. He oversees the day-to-day operations and fiduciary responsibilities of the city. As city manager, he also serves on the Heritage Hills Interlocal Cooperative and the Rodeo Arena Interlocal Cooperative.John started his career in public service in 2003 with the Tulsa County Assessor’s office. From 2008 to 2017, he worked with the City of Owasso as the legislative affairs director and capital projects manager. Through that experience, John developed a comprehensive understanding of the importance of reliable infrastructure and sound economic initiatives for Oklahoma communities. In 2017, John was selected as executive director of the Claremore Industrial & Economic Development Authority and focused on attracting, retaining and expanding jobs to Rogers County.
Contact:
John Feary
City Manager
Email: citymanager@claremore.com
Phone: 918-341-1325
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