Project Tango Data Center Approved by County Staff: What's Next

Project Tango Data Center Gets Staff Approval, and Arden Plans a Challenge

The fight over the Project Tango data center west of Wellington has taken a new turn. On Oct. 7, 2026, Palm Beach County staff approved a plan to build more than 700,000 square feet of data center space at the site off Southern Blvd., based on the project's 2016 approvals. That's smaller than the expansion county commissioners denied in July, but much larger than the roughly 200,000 square feet of data center in the earlier plan. Now the Arden Homeowners' Association is racing a 30-day deadline to challenge it. The developer says the plan meets every county requirement. Neighbors and several local officials say it goes against what the community asked for. Here's what happened and what each side has said.

The latest on Project Tango

The site: The Central Park Commerce Center off Southern Blvd., next to the Arden community and within about 1,500 feet of some Arden homes and Saddle View Elementary School
What staff approved: A modification on Oct. 7, 2026 allowing more than 700,000 square feet of data center, up from about 200,000
Why it went through: It was based on the site's 2016 county approval, and the application came in before the September moratorium
The challenge: The Arden HOA has 30 days from the ruling to file an objection
Earlier votes: Commissioners denied a larger expansion 5-1 in July and approved a one-year moratorium on new large data centers in September

What happened

The county's one-year data center moratorium, approved in September, didn't apply to projects with existing approvals, like Project Tango's 2016 rights. PBA Holdings, one of the site's two developers, had applied for the modification before the moratorium took effect, and county staff approved it on Oct. 7. The decision didn't become widely known until Oct. 20, the Town-Crier reported. Because it was a staff-level approval, it didn't go back to the County Commission for a vote. For the full background, see our earlier story on the data center moratorium and Project Tango.

The developer's case

Jobs and tax revenue. "The updated plan provides essential infrastructure as part of an existing development, and it is expected to create jobs and provide substantial tax revenue that can support local education, law enforcement and road improvements," PBA Holdings said in a written statement.
Reviewed and compliant. "The modification was thoroughly reviewed by regulators and confirmed compliant with county requirements for buffers, noise and water use," the company said.
Existing rights. The approval relies on rights the county granted in 2016, and the application was filed before the moratorium.

The opponents' case

A legal challenge. Arden HOA leaders met with attorneys to plan an appeal. The HOA's vice president said staff ignored the commission's direction, arguing that the July denial and the moratorium gave staff "all the cover they needed to reject this latest request."
Too close to a school. "I'm certainly against it," said retiring School Board Member Marcia Andrews. "It's not right. It's too close to a school." Her successor, John McGovern, said, "It's unfortunate that a technicality is thwarting the will of the people and our elected officials."
Protecting students. "I'm against putting data centers on top of elementary schools," Westlake Mayor JohnPaul O'Connor said. In April, he pushed a resolution urging the county to require a minimum 5-mile distance between data centers and schools.
A different project than in 2016. Other local officials argued that a modern data center is very different from what was approved a decade ago.

What happens next

The Arden HOA's 30-day window to object runs from the Oct. 7 ruling, so a challenge would need to be filed in early November. Meanwhile, county staff are working on permanent data center rules during the moratorium, and earlier litigation over the July denial is ongoing. For more on development west of Wellington, see the new Artistry Lakes agreement.

What do you think?

Should projects approved years ago be allowed to grow under their old rights, or should new rules like the moratorium apply? Would you want a data center near your neighborhood if it brings jobs and tax revenue?

Frequently asked questions

What did Palm Beach County staff approve for Project Tango?

On Oct. 7, 2026, staff approved a modification allowing more than 700,000 square feet of data center at the Central Park Commerce Center site, up from about 200,000 square feet, based on the site's 2016 approval.

Why didn't the data center moratorium stop Project Tango?

The county's one-year moratorium didn't apply to projects with existing approvals, and PBA Holdings applied for the modification before the moratorium took effect.

Can the Arden HOA challenge the approval?

The HOA has 30 days from the Oct. 7 ruling to file an objection and has been meeting with attorneys to plan a challenge.

How close is Project Tango to homes and schools?

The site is within about 1,500 feet of some Arden homes and Saddle View Elementary School, according to the Town-Crier.