Board to Review Data Center Proposal in Santa Barbara

The Earl Warren Showgrounds board will evaluate a plan for a micro data center on October 29, 2026.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Data Centers

Isometric editorial illustration of a modular data enclosure on a sun-baked surface next to a simple white wall. — The Earl Warren Showgrounds Board of Directors will evaluate a proposal from Global Stack to install micro data centers on site. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should public fairgrounds host private data centers and commercial infrastructure projects?

The Earl Warren Showgrounds Board of Directors is scheduled to discuss an unsolicited infrastructure proposal from Santa Ana-based firm Global Stack on October 29, 2026. The company intends to install micro data centers on the 34-acre site in exchange for revenue generation.

Why it matters

The proposal offers a potential new revenue stream for the public fairgrounds, but local residents have raised concerns regarding the environmental and economic impact of such infrastructure. The facility also serves as a critical emergency shelter and wildfire command center for the area.

Global Stack aims to install shipping container-sized micro data centers as part of a proposed network across California. The project would occupy space at the 34-acre Earl Warren Showgrounds at 3400 Calle Real under a 100-year contract.

The players

Global Stack

This Santa Ana-based firm specializes in infrastructure development and launched operations in March 2026.

Earl Warren Showgrounds

Spanning 34 acres in Santa Barbara, this facility serves as a public fairground and emergency command center.

California Department of Food and Agriculture

This state agency oversees public fairgrounds and has requested a formal consultation regarding the infrastructure proposal.

The details

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has requested a formal meeting between the showgrounds CEO and Global Stack to review the plan. While the company claims its statewide model could create tens of thousands of jobs, the board has currently categorized the item as an informational report regarding unsolicited outreach.

March 2026: Global Stack launched its operations based in Santa Ana.
October 8, 2026: The Board of Directors held a previous meeting.
October 29, 2026: The Board of Directors will review the data center proposal.

The Tech Race

This proposal highlights the race to densify digital infrastructure by utilizing public land for decentralized computing power. It follows a pattern of repurposing legacy public spaces to house modern micro data centers, competing with traditional utility-scale cloud infrastructure.

Residents may see changes to how the showgrounds functions as an emergency shelter if industrial infrastructure is integrated into the site. The project could also impact local land use and the availability of the fairgrounds for public community events.

The takeaway

Integrating commercial technology into public emergency facilities requires balancing new revenue streams with long-term operational integrity. Stakeholders should monitor board proceedings closely to understand how such contracts might affect the utility of the site during wildfires.