EATONVILLE, Fla. — Eatonville Town Council members have postponed a decision to increase daily fines that HostDime’s 100,000-square-foot data center has been racking up for more than a year.
After missing its July 2025 deadline, HostDime — the developer for the project — is being fined $250 per day until the facility opens. So far, the fines have totaled more than $99,000.
On Tuesday, council members considered an amendment to their agreement that would increase the fine to $500 a day. The Town Council ultimately decided to hold off on the fine increase until council members can meet with the developer.
Despite the delay, Mayor Ruthi Critton said she had faith in the project.
“We’re hopeful to hear what leverages might be available to the town of Eatonville just for the protection of the town and its economic stability,” Critton said. “But we’re still hopeful nevertheless that we can get it all worked out — that the business owner can get up and running and that we can all take advantage of a new business in the town of Eatonville.”
HostDime’s chief executive officer attended a meeting last month, when he answered questions and assured town leaders the project is nearly complete.
On Tuesday night, Critton said concerns such as noise pollution, water consumption and flooding have been addressed.
“In addition to those fines continuing to roll, there are also some infrastructural concerns that the town has had that our public works director, as well as our council, has voiced, and those issues are currently being worked on,” Critton said.
The mayor said the town has invited the company to continue answering residents’ questions as they come up. She said HostDime is scheduled to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open the facility sometime this month.