Georgia residents sue OpenAI over $20 billion data center deal

Three lawsuits in Effingham County allege secret dealings behind OpenAI's Project Camellia, a massive data center campus near Rincon

A group of Georgia residents wants to know how a $20 billion data center ended up in their backyard without anyone asking them first.

Residents and environmental advocacy groups in Effingham County have filed a string of lawsuits targeting OpenAI’s proposed Project Camellia, along with county officials and the local Industrial Development Authority. The latest complaint goes well beyond paperwork disputes. It alleges conspiracy, fraud, and civil racketeering.

What OpenAI wants to build

Project Camellia is a $20 billion investment by OpenAI and Octans GA LLC. The planned campus would sit on a 1,440-acre site in the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, near the town of Rincon.

The facility is expected to cover 4.4 million square feet and could require up to 3.2 gigawatts of power, with construction phases slated to begin in 2028.

Tax incentives tied to the project are estimated at between $870 million and $900 million over the next 15 years.

At least 80 permanent positions could be created per phase. The project is projected to roll out across five development phases through 2034.