CALLED TO ORDER | Members of the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County meet Friday, May 1, 2026. | Screenshot from Arkadelphian‘s Facebook Live
By JOEL PHELPS | arkadelphian.com
In a brief special-called meeting Friday morning in Arkadelphia, the Economic Development Corp. of Clark County formally terminated an agreement to sell a 1,000-acre site for the development of a data center in Gum Springs.
Twelve of the 15-member board were present. About 20 community members were in attendance at the meeting, which was held at a Dawson Education Cooperative conference room in downtown Arkadelphia.
Once the meeting was called to order, Shelley Short, CEO of the Arkadelphia Regional Economic Development Alliance, noted that the community had turned its attention to the local prospect of a data center since the EDCCC authorized her to enter a contract to sell the 991-acre Southwest Arkansas Mega Site to developers representing an unnamed data center.
The developers, DC Devco LLC, were representing an end buyer whose identity would not have been revealed until closing on the property. Following the April 16 meeting, DC Devco had until April 27 to make a $200,000 deposit in earnest money. While DC Devco deposited an initial non-refundable $50,000, the remainder hadn’t been deposited by the deadline as spelled out in the agreement.
Reading from correspondence sent by EDCCC legal counsel, Short said the board had the option to acknowledge termination of the contract, declare the $50,000 as non-refundable earnest money, and send written acknowledgment to DC Devco of the aforementioned facts.
EDCCC chairperson Lori Ross opened discussion from board members. An attending citizen asked whether the public could raise questions, but was denied.
Board member Lloydine Seale then motioned to authorize Short to send written acknowledgment of the agreement’s termination to DC Devco. Brian Kirksey offered a second, and the motion carried unanimously by voice vote.
With no other business, the meeting was adjourned.
Immediately following adjournment of the meeting, citizen Abigail Fowler inserted comment that, with no discussion about the EDCCC’s intent with the nonrefundable $50,000, residents would have to continue attending meetings to raise questions.
A community meeting regarding the data center project, scheduled for May 4, has been canceled.
The EDCCC’s next meeting will be Tuesday, June 2, at noon at Fairfield Inn & Suites in Arkadelphia.
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