As opposition to data centers grows over energy and environmental concerns, industry groups are launching aggressive advertising campaigns promising jobs and clean energy. In Virginia, the epicenter of data center development, groups like Virginia Connects have spent heavily on ads to improve the sector's image. Critics argue these claims exaggerate job creation and ignore the facilities' resource demands.
The data center boom, fueled by artificial intelligence demands, faces increasing resistance from communities worried about strained electric grids, water supplies, and air pollution. In Virginia, home to the nation's highest concentration of these facilities, industry-backed Virginia Connects aired frequent ads around Christmas, highlighting investments in clean energy, job creation, and a better energy future. The group, established by the Data Center Coalition in 2024, spent at least $700,000 on digital marketing in the state during fiscal year 2024. These ads emphasize that data centers cover their own energy costs, potentially easing residential bills.
However, experts question the job promises. Industry claims suggest each new facility creates dozens to hundreds of high-wage positions, but researchers like Greg LeRoy of Good Jobs First report developers receive over a million dollars in subsidies per permanent job. A 2025 University of Michigan brief states plainly: “Data centers do not bring high-paying tech jobs to local communities.” Food & Water Watch found Virginia's investment per data center job nearly 100 times higher than in other sectors. LeRoy describes the operations as “hyper-capital intensive,” with minimal ongoing staff after construction.
Jon Hukill of the Data Center Coalition counters that the industry pays full energy costs and supported 4.7 million jobs nationwide, contributing $162 billion in taxes in 2023. Community pushback is strong: Data Center Watch reports nearly 200 groups active, blocking or delaying 20 projects worth $98 billion from April to June 2025.
Similar efforts appear elsewhere. Meta's TV ads portray its Altoona, Iowa, facility—opened in 2013—as a job savior for small towns, promising $600 billion in U.S. infrastructure investment, though it supports just over 400 jobs versus 1,000 at a local casino. The company spent at least $5 million on spots in policy hubs like Washington, D.C. Starwood Digital Ventures uses Facebook ads in Delaware to tout tax relief and wetland protection, later claiming triple the initially promised jobs.
Politically, the issue influenced Virginia's gubernatorial race, where Abigail Spanberger won in November on pledges to regulate the sector. Lawmakers considered 30 bills, and regulators approved a 2027 rate structure to shield households from data center costs. Activist Elena Schlossberg in Prince William County notes persistent fliers but doubts their impact, citing a poll where 73 percent of Virginians blame data centers for rising electricity bills. “There’s no putting the toothpaste back in the tube,” she said.
