By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2026-06-11 06:09:18 | Updated at 2026-06-13 04:14:47
1 day ago
Wyoming's state capital Cheyenne is being reshaped by a massive data center boom, but residents are increasingly frustrated about plans to house thousands of construction workers in huge 'man camps' to support the projects.
A proposed 'temporary workforce housing complex' outside Cheyenne would house as many as 5,700 laborers and tradespeople needed build the data centers.
If the housing project goes ahead, the man camp would have a larger population than 84 of Wyoming's incorporated cities and towns - and would equal almost 10 percent of the population of the capital city itself.
Cheyenne Councilman Larry Wolfe told the Daily Mail that the proposal has already sparked widespread concern among locals.
'You know, 5,700 single men who make lots of money and have lots of time on their hands once they're not working - what could possibly go wrong with that?' Wolfe told us.
The company behind the project, Iron Guard Housing, says the complex will be far more than just a work camp.
Its owner told the told the Wall Street Journal that he envisions a 'pristine, conveniently located and comfortable' community for workers, featuring amenities such as a dining hall, laundry, a gym and even a pickleball court - in addition to a security force to protect the site.
The self-contained development would include rows of modular housing units and RV spaces, and could be built just minutes from the Bison Crossing neighborhood, potentially dwarfing the nearby community of about 500 residents.
Cheyenne's residents are increasingly frustrated over plans to house thousands of construction workers in large 'man camps' near the city
Cheyenne has rapidly become a new frontier in the AI tech boom - Microsoft already operates multiple data centers in the city, and Meta is building a sprawling new campus
Cheyenne Councilman Larry Wolfe told the Daily Mail that the proposal has sparked widespread concern
Some residents say the rapid buildout is already taking a toll. One local told the WSJ that ongoing construction noise and the constant influx of workers have left his family exhausted and frustrated.
The concern comes as Cheyenne continues to deepen its investment in data center development, with little sign of moderatoin.
Wolfe estimated the city could eventually host between 65 and 70 data centers - an extraordinary concentration for a city of just over 65,000 people.
'We've got 12 data centers already - about five under construction and around seven proposed,' said Wolfe. 'Public knowledge is around 23 already in operation, under construction, or publicly announced.'
He added that the pace of development has outstripped the city's ability to plan for it.
'The data center boom has completely outstripped the city and the county's ability to plan. At this point, you'd have to say clearly that data centers are winning,' he said.
Rapid growth is colliding with the city's limited housing supply and outdated planning frameworks.
The city's master planning strategy was last updated in 2014, despite commitments to revise it every five years, leaving administrators without an adequate roadmap for development.
The proposed man camp outside Cheyenne would likely look much like by Iron Guard Housing's other camps, like this one in Kimball, Nebraska
Cheyenne residents are packing city meetings to debate how the city should develop: Embrace billions in investment or resist a transformation that could reshape the Cowboy State
The self-contained development would feature rows of modular units and RV spaces and could be built just minutes from a nearby community of about 500 residents
One local told the WSJ that ongoing construction noise and the constant influx of workers have left his family increasingly frustrated
But beyond questions of economic development, Cheyenne is struggling to balance its Western identity with the arrival of big tech and all it brings in its wake.
AI giants Meta and Microsoft are expanding their presence, and Wolfe says that locals fear they are reshaping the city's identity and altering the DNA of the cowboy state.
There's additional tension over land use policy, as acreage once designated for residential growth is increasingly absorbed by the industrial-scale AI projects.
'All the land that's being chewed up now for data centers… in the original planning it was for homes, residential development and commercial development,' Wolfe said.
And it's tightening housing supply just as demand is rising - in part by temporary construction workers.
While officials acknowledge the economic benefits that come with data centers - including tax revenue and high-paying jobs - they note that much of the workforce is transient.
'It brings terrific revenues to the city and the county, and it brings these really high-paying construction jobs,' Wolfe said. 'These guys are making $150,000 to $200,000 a year as electricians and plumbers and people building all the server spaces.'
But the short-term economic sugar high doesn't last, and that's fueled debate over man camps as a practical but controversial solution.
With thousands of short-term workers arriving for multi-year buildouts and limited local housing availability, officials argue worker housing camps are option.
Meta's Project Cosmo - an $800 million, 750,000-square-foot data center development in south Cheyenne
Meta's expanding campus bringing in around 1,500 construction workers
Tensions came to a head at a mid-May meeting of the Laramie County Planning Commission, where residents packed into the courthouse to voice their concerns.
Planning officials acknowledged the backlash, but told locals the camps are necessary to prevent broader disruption to the housing market.
Justin Arnold, head of the planning and development department, argued that the influx of construction workers tied to massive data center projects was 'inevitable,' and that temporary worker housing could actually protect local renters from being pushed out.
Residents offered their takes on Wyoming's history with less-than-savory man camps and the reputation they garnered.
State Rep. Clarence Styvar, a Republican from Laramie County, said his opposition is rooted in experience growing up in Wyoming's coal-mining regions.
'I grew up in Uinta County,' he said. 'I remember the shovel fights on Main Street, the murders… We need to consider where we put this.'
But supporters of the plan say concentrating workers in one location would also make conditions safer and easier to manage.
Arnold noted that the county sheriff would rather have deputies 'keeping an eye on 6,000 workers in one area than dispersing them.'
The planning commission unanimously voted to advance the project. However, when the Laramie County Board of Commissioners met two weeks later, the item was unexpectedly pulled from the agenda.
