“The Okee-One project has been discontinued and is no longer active,” IRSC said in an emailed response to TCPALM requests for information about the project.<\/p>\n
College officials gave no further explanation and declined subsequent requests for comment.<\/p>\n
The abrupt cancellation was the culmination of more than a month of opposition from Okeechobee residents.<\/p>\n
Okee-One’s beginning and end<\/p>\n
Okeechobee County officials were initially supportive<\/a> of the project when it was proposed in 2023.<\/p>\n “The county views this as a positive economic opportunity for the community that will provide a new business for the region and state,” said Okeechobee County Administrator Deborah Manzo in 2023.<\/p>\n Indian River State College planned to use $1.5 million it received in 2025 from Gov. Ron DeSantis\u2019 rural infrastructure fund<\/a> to build the data campus on 205 acres of land previously used by the Okeechobee School for Boys, a satellite campus of the state’s infamous and abusive juvenile reform school.<\/p>\n This is the site of the proposed Indian River State College data campus, named Okee-One, in Okeechobee.<\/p>\n Following residential opposition, Okeechobee County Commissioner Terry Burroughs discussed the proposal with Florida Commerce Secretary Alex Kelly, and he shared that conversation during an April 23 County Commission meeting.<\/p>\n The college “will return almost 50% of the money,” Burroughs said. “The data center is not going to be built.”<\/p>\n The DeSantis administration, since approving state funding for Okee-One, has taken a stronger stance against large data centers<\/a> in Florida.<\/p>\n Kelly, however, was initially supportive.<\/p>\n “We are grateful for our continued partnership with Indian River State College as they establish the Okee-One data campus and provide Florida\u2019s future job seekers with valuable skills in high-demand fields,” Kelly said in a 2025 statement.<\/p>\n See site of proposed slaughterhouse in western Martin County<\/p>\n 1 of 9<\/p>\n Chancey Bay Ranch, a 2,046-acre cattle ranch, is seen March 10, 2026, at 8401 Southwest Connors Highway in western Martin County. Owner Tuny Mizrachi has proposed building a 56,784-square-foot slaughterhouse on 26 acres near Lake Okeechobee. Currently, the property is used for grazing cattle.<\/p>\n Wyatt Deihl, who grew up in Okeechobee and graduated with an associate’s degree at the state college in 2018, launched a petition<\/a> against the college’s proposal that received more than 3,100 signatures.<\/p>\n Deihl learned about the proposal on social media, he told TCPalm. At the time, it was initially framed as a “technical training campus,” he said. But the environmental, economic and public health consequences of data centers<\/a> later became clear, he said.<\/p>\n “While Okeechobee residents are celebrating this victory, we remain vigilant,” Deihl said over text. “Our focus now is on oversight, ensuring local officials prioritize public safety over Big Tech interests.”<\/p>\n Jack Randall is TCPalm\u2019s economy and real estate reporter. You can reach him at jack.randall@tcpalm.com.<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/6f0fd2de6713dd2334322e8653882361.jpeg\"\/)
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