Developer of $6bn+ Project Liberty data center campus in South Carolina, Stream Data Centers, has pulled out of the project, dealing it a deafening blow. The firm announced that it will no longer continue move forward with the project citing utility timing constraints. The company announced the decision on its website, stating it is unable to meet established project timeline requirements. It also noted it cannot proceed with development at the location.
Project Liberty was passed by the Marion County Council in January. However, no information was shared with the community until after the vote due to non-disclosure agreements that council members signed. Since the announcement, social media posts have surfaced celebrating the project’s end. Residents said that while they are thankful the data center is no longer in the works, they believe the council was wrong in their actions and needs to provide more transparency.
“I think it’s very important for public leaders to know everything about everything they’re voting on; you know, you can’t say I didn’t know this, or I didn’t know that because at the end of the day you put your pen to the paper and agreed to it coming,” Darius Pickett said. Another major data center project that is gaining traction is the Tract data center project in Buckeye.
The Buckeye Technology Park by Tract is a master-planned digital infrastructure park Buckeye – Tract and one of the largest data center developments in the U.S. Buckeye’s Next Growth Wave May Not be Rooftops, but Megawatts.
Outlook on the Project Liberty Data Center Campus in Marion County
The Project Liberty data center campus in Marion County could also have been halted due to public scrutiny on resources and environmental impact. For instance, The Winyah Rivers Alliance stated concerns about the project’s impact on nearby watersheds. “We see our rivers drying up already because we’re in a drought, and then the thought of these data centers taking on so much water that it could affect, of course, the communities because it will, it could, you know, dry our rivers up even more and take that water,” Debra Buffkin said.
Despite the pull out, Stream Data Centers stated that funds committed to Marion County will continue to go to the county to benefit families and institutions. The company said the funds will be distributed to a range of local organizations, supporting after-school programs, library resources, and other efforts. Nonetheless, the exact institutions and programs receiving funds have not been announced. However, Stream Data Centers did not respond to a request for comment.
Project Factsheet:
- Project Name: Project Liberty Data Center Campus
- Location: Marion County, South Carolina, USA
- Estimated Investment Value: $6 Billion+
- Project Type: Hyperscale Data Center Campus
Timeline
- Project approved by Marion County Council in January 2026
- Development plans faced growing public scrutiny following approval
- Stream Data Centers announced withdrawal from the project
- Project halted due to utility timing constraints and inability to meet development schedules
- No revised development timeline has been announced
Site & Scale
- Planned multi-billion-dollar hyperscale data center campus
- Proposed for development in Marion County, South Carolina
- Intended to support large-scale digital infrastructure operations
- Would have represented one of the largest private investments in the region
Key Stakeholders
- Developer: Stream Data Centers
- Marion County Council
- Local residents and community groups
- Winyah Rivers Alliance environmental organization
- Marion County institutions and community programs expected to receive pledged funding
Infrastructure Scope
- Planned large-scale data center campus development
- Significant utility infrastructure requirements were anticipated
- Project required major power and water resources to support operations
- Development would have included supporting site and network infrastructure
Challenges and Opposition
- Developer cited utility timing constraints as the primary reason for withdrawal
- Residents criticized the approval process and lack of public transparency
- Community concerns focused on water consumption and environmental impacts
- Environmental groups warned of potential effects on local rivers and watersheds during drought conditions
Current Status
- Stream Data Centers has officially withdrawn from Project Liberty
- Development will not proceed at the proposed Marion County location
- Project effectively canceled unless a new developer emerges
- Community opposition and environmental concerns remain prominent discussion points
- Stream Data Centers stated previously committed community funds will still be distributed locally
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