Tulsa Data Center Debate Heats Up as Community Pushes Back on Project Anthem

Good morning, this is Tulsa Local Pulse for Friday, March 20. We start with breaking developments from city hall that hit close to home. The rezoning decision for Project Anthem, a massive data center on over 300 acres between 11th and 21st Streets near the Creek Turnpike in east Tulsa, got delayed by two weeks until April 1. Tulsa Flyer reports planning staff recommended denial due to weak justifications, but the committee granted developers more time amid strong community pushback from residents like Bobby Ross, who worry about neighborhood changes, property values, and environmental hits. We will keep showing up to shape our east side. Shifting to new business buzz, a Community Systems Development Specialist job opened with the Oklahoma State Department of Health right here in Tulsa, paying around $43,000 to boost infant outcomes—great for our health pros eyeing stability. Real estate stays steady with east Tulsa lots drawing eyes despite the data center debate, and job postings hint at about 50 new roles in health and public service this week. On the youth front, our local 4-H and FFA kids shone yesterday at the Oklahoma Youth Expo in Oklahoma City with strong showings in market goat, lamb, steer events, and scholarship drives—proud moments for Tulsa families heading down I-44. Sports wise, Tulsa Golden Hurricane softball fell hard to Oklahoma 12 to 1 last week, but we rally for weekend games at the Tulsa Softball Complex. University of Tulsa Law is gearing up students for the NextGen Bar Exam in 2027 with new Helix prep and externships over 300 strong. Crime report from the past day stays calm: no major incidents or alerts from Tulsa Police, just routine patrols keeping our streets safe around Gathering Place and downtown. Weather today brings mild temps in the low 60s with partly cloudy skies and light winds off the Arkansas River—perfect for outdoor plans, though watch for evening showers. Outlook holds steady through Sunday. Looking ahead, mark your calendar for east Tulsa community forums on the data center next week and expo wrap-up events. For a feel-good lift, listeners shared stories of neighbors teaming up to clean Riverside Trails, strengthening our bonds. Thanks for tuning in, listeners—subscribe for daily updates. This has been Tulsa Local Pulse. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. For more http://www.quietplease.ai Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOta This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.