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The story has shifted from general local rulemaking around data centers to a more concrete set of pending decisions, including a specific ballot initiative in Perry Village and explicit moratoriums in some Stark County townships. It also adds more detail on the Amazon-backed project and the proposed Province, Group campus, making the regulatory timeline and project consequences clearer.

The story has broadened from a Stark County debate around one Amazon-backed Perry Township campus to a wider set of Ohio local actions, including Lake County and multiple new regulatory tools. The biggest change is that communities are now moving from general opposition/approval debates into concrete siting, utility, noise, and financial-guarantee rules, with a potential ballot measure in Perry Village.

• Perry Village voters may consider a ballot measure later in 2026.
• Massillon may require electric, water, and wastewater capacity verification before approval.
• Perry Village is weighing financial guarantees and noise limits for incentives.
• The story now includes Lake County, not only Stark County.
• Article count rose from 5 to 9.

The story has become more concrete and locally coordinated: the Perry Township Amazon-backed campus is now described with specific size and site details, while nearby governments are actively tightening the approval environment through zoning rules and temporary moratoriums. The emphasis has also shifted from a single tax-abatement fight to a broader countywide framework for controlling where data centers can go and what infrastructure they must have.

• 240-megawatt campus planned on 100 acres off Faircrest Street SW
• 75% property tax abatement for 30 years
• Upfront payment to Perry included in the tax deal
• Nearby jurisdictions have adopted temporary moratoriums or stays
• Massillon is considering residential setbacks in zoning rules

The story has broadened from Canton's single abatement fight into a wider regional policy push on hyperscale data centers, with Massillon now joining in through zoning rules and utility-capacity requirements. The central issue is no longer just one project’s tax terms, but how multiple Stark County governments will gatekeep data center development through zoning, power, and water constraints.

• Massillon is drafting data center zoning rules.
• Approval would require utility certification before construction.
• The Perry Township abatement is advancing to county review.
• Stark County governments are coordinating permitting and taxation.
• Utility capacity is now part of the approval process.

Canton City Council is considering a tax abatement tied to a proposed Amazon-backed hyperscale data center in Perry Township, drawing sharp debate over jobs, public revenue, and local costs. The project would sit in a Joint Economic Development District and, if approved by all required governments, move to Stark County commissioners. Supporters frame it as major economic development, while opponents focus on water use, electricity demand, transparency, property values, and long-term community impacts.