Southaven Residents Raise Transparency, Noise, and Health Concerns Over Proposed xAI Supercomputer
Plans for another xAI supercomputer facility in Southaven continue to spark controversy, with residents saying their concerns are not being adequately heard by city leaders.
Discussion surrounding the project became emotional during Tuesday night’s Southaven Board of Aldermen meeting, where police were ultimately called to remove an individual from the chamber. Several residents told city leaders they felt ignored, despite assurances from the mayor that the city has been transparent throughout the process.
Resident Shannon Samsa was one of two speakers during the meeting, urging caution when considering the economic benefits tied to the project.
“Not all money is good money, Mayor,” Samsa said.
Southaven Mayor Darren Musselwhite defended the project, calling it a major opportunity for the city and North Mississippi as a whole.
“Southaven is always poised and prepared to become the ultimate showcase to a development of this magnitude,” Musselwhite said. “And I continue to welcome this partnership again, as it will pay huge dividends for the city of Southaven.”
City leaders say the development would bring billions of dollars in investment to the region, but some residents remain unconvinced.
Resident Charlie Parker said she believes the project could do more harm than good and questioned whether the economic benefits would reach everyday residents.
“There’s no concrete proof that we’re getting money brought in. I certainly won’t feel it. I don’t think anybody in the general community will feel that,” Parker said. “And the health issues are something that can’t be ignored.”
Parker also raised concerns about transparency outside of city meetings, saying she was blocked from the mayor’s social media page after asking questions online.
“I raised some concerns in his Facebook comment section. I was very polite, very professional. I just wanted to have a polite discourse with him,” Parker said. “He did start responding to me, and then the next day I refreshed the page and his page was gone. The comments were gone. I’ve checked with friends — they’ve been deleted. And this is not something that’s unique to me.”
One of the most common complaints from residents involves noise from the power plant being constructed to support the xAI facility on Stanton Road.
Samsa also voiced concerns about air quality and potential health impacts. She said she submitted a public records request to the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and discovered the company does not currently hold an air permit.
“They are in charge of the air permits. Right now, xAI does not have an air permit, but MDEQ has allowed them to run their turbines using an exemption for 12 months,” Samsa said.
Residents opposing the project told they are requesting a town hall-style meeting to allow for open discussion and questions from the community. As of now, no town hall has been scheduled.
