WBRC requests records connected to proposed data center development in Brookwood

BROOKWOOD Ala. (WBRC) - A WBRC public records request to the city of Brookwood is raising new questions about a proposed data center development.

A permit application granted by ADEM (ADEM) indicates Applied Digital Corporation, a company based in Dallas, Texas is planning to build a 2-million-square-foot data center in Brookwood, although the company said no decision has been made yet.

The data center would be located on Brookwood Industrial Parkway near Brookwood Middle School.

Records show rezoning process

The city sent us records from two planning and zoning meetings, one in 2025 and another in 2026, detailing the rezoning process for the land. The documents list business entities “Evolve Energy Partners, LLC” in 2025 and “EEP Tuscaloosa, LLC” in 2026.

The 2025 entity listed a New Orleans address on the document as the applicant. It also listed “Project Evolve” as the project name with a proposed use of the property as “Industrial Development”. The land was listed as west of the Brookwood Parkway.

The 2026 rezoning request has a Dallas address listed as the petitioner and “Alawest, AL, LLC” as the property owner with proposed construction listed as “To Be Determined”. The city also sent out letters in May 2026 to all parties involved that talk about the request for rezoning of adjoining property.

It is unclear if the city took any action at the time.

Brookwood officials said they do not have filings that specifically name “Applied Digital” as we requested, but did give us “filings for the property that are now being considered for development by a subsidiary of that entity.”

NDA tied to county authority

We also made a request for any non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) signed by city officials, including Mayor Joe Barger. The city responded and said “the only non-disclosure agreement signed by a city official of any kind in relation to this project would be through the Tuscaloosa County Economic Development Authority and is not in the possession of the City of Brookwood.”

During a recent city council meeting, Barger confirmed for the first time that the proposed development in the city is an AI data center. However, Barger said there’s no signed project yet.

Barger also addressed the NDA he signed after joining the TCEDA.

“That is common practice, that is common economic practice. It’s not to keep secrets, it is to protect the trade secrets of the industry,” Barger said.

Barger also said economic development like this could help attract grocery stores, medical facilities and other services.

“I was never elected to be reelected. I was elected to do a job to the best of my ability. And I will stand on the decisions I make, the opportunities I bring, and the safety that I bring to this community, because I love this community and because I defend this community each and every day. If we were not looking at this economic development opportunity, the city of Tuscaloosa would be in and running this opportunity and you wouldn’t get a voice and they wouldn’t care what you have to say,” Barger said.

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