# Amazon built a $2bn data center in Gilroy without public vote 2026-08-07T11:45:10+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Amazon has constructed a $2 billion data center in Gilroy, California, without any public meetings or votes after a single city staffer approved the project. Residents say they only learned about the 438,500-square-foot facility on 56 acres of farmland after construction had already begun. The approval relied on zoning criteria set 45 years ago for industrial development along a freeway. Emails obtained by Hindustan Times show Amazon and city officials negotiated the deal quietly over five years. The city council is now considering a proposal requiring future projects to win planning commission approval and hold community meetings. ## Coverage - hindustantimes.com Tags: Amazon, data centers, Gilroy, public scrutiny, zoning Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/amazon-built-a-2bn-data-center-in-gilroy-without-public-vote/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/amazon-built-a-2bn-data-center-in-gilroy-without-public-vote/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.