Earl Warren Showgrounds Rejects Global Stack Agreement
CEO Ben Sprague declined to sign a memorandum of understanding with the data center firm for the Santa Barbara property.
Updated on Oct. 16, 2026 in Data Centers
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Earl Warren Showgrounds CEO Ben Sprague has declined to enter a memorandum of understanding with Global Stack regarding the construction of data centers on fairground property. The decision follows community concerns and a recent move by the Ventura County Fairgrounds to terminate their own agreement with the same company.
Why it matters
The proposal has drawn scrutiny due to its potential impact on local fairground land and the company's interest in securing long-term leases across California. By bringing the matter to the board, leadership aims to provide transparency on the status of potential development projects.
Global Stack typically seeks 100-year land leases for 2 to 5 acres of property to house shipping-container sized data centers, parking lots, and landing pads. The firm aims to deploy this model at up to 70 fairgrounds throughout California.
The players
Ben Sprague
He serves as the CEO of the Earl Warren Showgrounds and is responsible for managing the site operations.
Global Stack
The company specializes in constructing shipping-container sized data centers designed for integration into existing properties.
California Department of Food and Agriculture
This state agency oversees agricultural policies and manages the oversight of various fairgrounds across California.
Ventura County Fairgrounds
This regional fairgrounds entity previously entered and subsequently rejected a development proposal from Global Stack.
The details
Global Stack, which builds self-contained data processing units, had sought to formalize a partnership with the Santa Barbara facility through the California Department of Food and Agriculture. While the company previously proposed a project at the Ventura County Fairgrounds involving a vertiport and parking structure, no such commitments or endorsements have been made for the Earl Warren site.
Timeline
In September 2026, the Ventura County Fairgrounds board voted to end a memorandum of understanding with Global Stack.
The Earl Warren Showgrounds board of directors is scheduled to hear an informational report regarding the proposal in late October 2026.
The Tech Race
The push to install data processing infrastructure on fairground land reflects a broader trend of repurposing public spaces for high-density tech deployment. This positions developers like Global Stack in a competitive race against local zoning boards that are increasingly cautious about long-term land commitments.
Residents and local business owners remain concerned about how potential land-use changes could impact the availability of the showgrounds for community events. The upcoming board report will provide the public with further clarity on whether the fairgrounds will maintain current operations or transition toward industrial use.
The takeaway
The rejection of the memorandum of understanding highlights the importance of public scrutiny when infrastructure developers seek access to community-owned land. Residents should attend the October board meeting to understand how these proposals align with the long-term use of the showgrounds.
What happens next
The Earl Warren Showgrounds board of directors will receive an informational report regarding the Global Stack proposal during their meeting in late October 2026.
Further reading
For more context on the industry, visit the Data Centers section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Santa Barbara News-Press.
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