Highlander SM One data center
San Marcos, Hays County, TXDeveloper: Highlander SM One
Also known as Mayberry data center
- Rumored
- Proposed
- Approved
- Under construction
- Operating
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Fort Worth-based Highlander SM One LLC proposed a $1.5 billion data center on about 200 acres west of Francis Harris Lane in San Marcos, next to the Hays Energy power plant. After an earlier request failed in August 2025, the City Council denied a second land use amendment 5-2 in February 2026. In June 2026 the council voted 4-3 to prohibit data centers in all zoning districts.
- Stated investment
- $1.5 billion[3]
- Water use
- 70,000 gal/day
- up to; over 25 million gallons annually
Key facts
Size & schedule
| Site size | 200 acres [2] about 60 acres in the extraterritorial jurisdiction |
|---|---|
| Stated investment | $1.5 billion [3] |
How big is that? Data center sizes compared with football fields and Central Park.
Water
| Water use | 70,000 gal/day [4] up to; over 25 million gallons annually |
|---|---|
| Water source | Local aquifers [1]Source excerpt“a proposed 200-acre development by Highlander SM One LLC, a Fort Worth-based developer, could consume more than 25 million gallons of water annually from local aquifers” |
Local decisions & site
| Zoning | Land use amendment requested from Conservation/Cluster to Commercial/Employment Low [2]Source excerpt“from 'Conservation/Cluster' to 'Commercial/Employment Low.'” |
|---|
Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.
Water and power
Water
Not disclosed. No source reviewed gives a water figure for this site. The Census does not estimate one.
Power
Not disclosed. No capacity or power-supply figure is on the record.
Disclosed figures only, each as the cited source states it. Many are projections or permit limits, not metered use. How data center water and power use is measured, and every disclosed figure →
Timeline
Planning & Zoning Commission recommends denial of first land use amendment [2]
City Council votes 5-2 in favor but short of required supermajority; request denied [2]
Second land use amendment application submitted [2]
City Council denies land use change 5-2 in early-morning vote after a motion to postpone fails [4]
Motion to prohibit data centers citywide fails 3-4; data centers restricted to high industrial zones [5]
City Council votes 4-3 to prohibit data centers in all zoning districts [5]
Issues raised
- Water use during drought was the main reason cited for denial [4][6]
- Residents raised concerns about grid strain, livestock, and environmental impacts; 182 people registered to speak at the February hearing [3][5]
- A state senator said he would challenge the citywide ban under state preemption law [1]
Issues are concerns and claims raised by the parties, officials or residents named in the cited sources. They are reported as attributed, not as findings by the Census.
Sources
- San Marcos becomes the first Texas city to ban data centers, testing its local controlTexas Tribune · Jun 30, 2026 · news
- San Marcos council to once again consider data centerCommunity Impact · Jan 15, 2026 · news
- San Marcos City Council blocks proposed data centerKUT · Feb 18, 2026 · news
- San Marcos City Council votes 5-2 to deny AI data center proposalCBS Austin · Feb 18, 2026 · news
- San Marcos council votes to prohibit data centers in all zoning districtsCommunity Impact · Jun 17, 2026 · news
- Hays County data center proposition receives community pushbackSpectrum News · Feb 23, 2026 · news
Cite this page
Last updated Sep 23, 2026. Figures may change as records are updated — include the date you retrieved them.
| APA | Data Center Census. (2026). Highlander SM One data center. Retrieved from https://datacentercensus.com/dc/highlander-sm-one-san-marcos-tx |
|---|---|
| MLA | “Highlander SM One data center.” Data Center Census, Sep 23, 2026, https://datacentercensus.com/dc/highlander-sm-one-san-marcos-tx. |
| Link | https://datacentercensus.com/dc/highlander-sm-one-san-marcos-tx |
Republishing a figure or table? Attribute it to Data Center Census with a link to this page. The underlying data is downloadable as JSON and CSV; the press kit has standing figures and contact details.