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Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers

At its first public open houses, Google answered questions. Many Chesterfield residents want more.

Crowded indoor exhibition hall with a white grid ceiling and blue support beams. People mingle among booths and displays, holding papers and chatting, with light blue walls in the background.

The open house at Cosby High School in Chesterfield last week. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios

As Google prepares to build three massive <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="data center campuses" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/19/google-data-center-chesterfield-army-corps-permit" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/05/19/google-data-center-chesterfield-army-corps-permit" target="_self">data center campuses</a> in Chesterfield, it&#x27;s making its biggest public outreach effort yet. Why it matters: With county approvals in hand, its next battle is earning trust as residents call for more transparency.Catch up quick: Google&#x27;s <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="$9 billion Virginia expansion" data-vars-click-url="https://www.chesterfieldvadatacenter.com/" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.chesterfieldvadatacenter.com/" target="_blank">$9 billion Virginia expansion</a> includes Project Peanut in Chester, now under construction.<ul><li>The company is still working through state and federal permitting for the two other Chesterfield sites: Projects Skye and Loch.</li></ul>The latest: After years of behind-the-scenes planning, roughly 600 people showed up to Google&#x27;s two open houses in western Chesterfield last week.<ul><li>Residents bounced between stations staffed by engineers, consultants and Google representatives, with displays explaining water use, electricity costs, air quality and noise.</li></ul>What they&#x27;re saying: &quot;I&#x27;m not here to change anybody&#x27;s mind,&quot; Google public affairs manager Clay Allsop told Axios. &quot;I&#x27;m just here to provide the facts.&quot;Friction point: Google focused on how its data centers will operate, highlighting <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="workforce training" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/06/meta-google-data-center-jobs-skilled-trades-training-richmond-henrico-chesterfield" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2026/07/06/meta-google-data-center-jobs-skilled-trades-training-richmond-henrico-chesterfield" target="_self">workforce training</a>, community partnerships and its commitment to paying its own infrastructure costs so it doesn&#x27;t fall on ratepayers.<ul><li>But many residents wanted answers about how the projects reached this point — and how much water they&#x27;ll ultimately use. Allsop says Google won&#x27;t know the exact water demand until the campuses are operational.</li></ul><figure><img alt="Blue canopy tent set up in a parking lot outside a modern brick-and-glass building. Posters read &quot;PEOPLE OVER PROFIT&quot; and &quot;LESS SERVER FARMS, MORE REAL FARMS&quot; as people wait in line." height="2954" id="48a66aeb-6ca2-45eb-9388-d4293015bd85" src="https://images.axios.com/0_-ZAcnIPZH_3rNJD3s4LgWVlZU=/2026/07/17/1784317134402.jpeg" width="5253"/><figcaption>Data Center Defiance members chatting with residents outside of the open house. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios</figcaption></figure>Zoom in: Opponents have long criticized Google and Chesterfield&#x27;s use of non-disclosure agreements during negotiations, arguing residents weren&#x27;t brought into the conversation until major approvals were in place — a claim the county has denied.<ul><li>&quot;A lot of people were blindsided when the Google announcement came out because the zoning was already done and packaged up,&quot; said Courtney Bernhardt, a Chesterfield resident and organizer with Data Center Defiance, a local opposition coalition.</li><li>And many left the open houses with the same questions they came with, said Katherine McMahon, a Midlothian resident with the coalition who lives between Project Skye and Project Loch.</li></ul><ul><li>The coalition wants a town hall instead. Allsop said Google believes the open house format reaches the most people. </li></ul>Meanwhile, construction labor unions stationed at the events made the economic case for the projects.<ul><li>&quot;There are thousands of families in the Richmond area who have food on their table and a roof over their head ... because of projects like this,&quot; said Walt Goree, an organizer with IBEW Local 666.</li></ul>What&#x27;s next: Data Center Defiance plans to bring its concerns to this week&#x27;s Chesterfield Board of Supervisors meeting and deliver a <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="petition" data-vars-click-url="https://mstr.app/3785f83d-ab4a-4875-b3c9-693dad7b8074?fbclid=IwY2xjawSNNzBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NEl3V1ZWY2g4VjVlVGcyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhpZPqHxR66j_Q00HEdjyjQvDLv2BPJxpvNIlagqex8BkTiCa_qzrC2xIZ_i_aem_3wRc7MfD2K9jV7urwFDmnA" data-vars-content-id="00c5a901-7eb4-4e87-a60b-2c21163af894" data-vars-headline="Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://mstr.app/3785f83d-ab4a-4875-b3c9-693dad7b8074?fbclid=IwY2xjawSNNzBleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0NEl3V1ZWY2g4VjVlVGcyc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHhpZPqHxR66j_Q00HEdjyjQvDLv2BPJxpvNIlagqex8BkTiCa_qzrC2xIZ_i_aem_3wRc7MfD2K9jV7urwFDmnA" target="_blank">petition</a> with over 2,000 signatures calling for more transparency in future data center deals.

News

Development

Richmond is getting its first Parallel Parking Championship on Wednesday, turning one of the city's most dreaded maneuvers into a spectator sport. 

Why it matters: It's among Richmond's most absurd competitions this year, and that's counting the parade where people dress up as cones.

The big picture: Vera House, a local podcast studio known for its viral Richmond commentary on Instagram, is hosting the free event in front of Mosaic Catering near Scott's Addition from 1-3pm. 

It's sponsored by NASCAR and the Richmond Raceway, and spectators can post up at Pollinator Park to watch the high-stakes curbside battle.

How to enter: Anyone wanting to prove they're the city's best parallel parker can join the waitlist on Vera House's site and receive an email with race-day instructions.

The recommendation: Arrive early around 12:30pm.

The fine print: Bring your own car, license and cojones.

The challenge: You've got 60 seconds and one attempt to slide into the space without hitting the cones or the two NASCAR-provided Ford cars. No backup camera allowed. 

The twist: Your parking job will be narrated like the Daytona 500 by Vera House's Myke Metzger and Perri Young — alongside professional NASCAR driver Noah Gragson and Raceway president Lori Waran. 

What's at stake: Cash, gift cards, merch and most importantly, bragging rights. 

The bottom line: If you have curb rash on your tires, maybe stay home.

A parallel parking competition is coming to Richmond

Illustration of a race car parallel parked between two sedans.

Richmond is getting its first Parallel Parking Championship on Wednesday, turning one of the city&#x27;s most dreaded maneuvers into a spectator sport. Why it matters: It&#x27;s among Richmond&#x27;s most absurd competitions this year, and that&#x27;s counting the parade where <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="people dress up as cones." data-vars-click-url="https://www.facebook.com/AmazingRVA/posts/our-very-own-amanda-goins-was-recognized-as-the-1st-place-cone-parade-winner-for/1480285860770151/" data-vars-content-id="88888595-9d08-46b8-b21e-98c5b7c2cc8c" data-vars-headline="A parallel parking competition is coming to Richmond" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.facebook.com/AmazingRVA/posts/our-very-own-amanda-goins-was-recognized-as-the-1st-place-cone-parade-winner-for/1480285860770151/" target="_blank">people dress up as cones.</a>

Culture

Things to Do

Richmond unveiled the design for the Lumpkin's Slave Jail Pavilion, the next major piece of the city's long-planned Shockoe Project.

The big picture: The $18 million pavilion will preserve and tell the story of one of the nation's most significant surviving slave-trading sites, where thousands of enslaved people were imprisoned before being sold.

It also marks the second phase of the city's plan to transform 10 acres of Shockoe Bottom into a campus documenting Richmond's defining role in the domestic slave trade.

The first was opening the Shockoe Institute earlier this year.

Zoom in: The 21,000-square-foot pavilion will be built over the archaeological remains of the jail, which was once dubbed the "Devil's Half Acre" and long buried beneath a parking lot. 

It'll also include exhibits, artwork and first-person accounts from people who witnessed or survived slavery.

What they're saying: "We cannot find our way to healing, or to thriving, without telling the full story of how we got here," Mayor Avula said at Wednesday's unveiling.

What's next: Following the Urban Design Committee's approval on Thursday, the designs now head to the Planning Commission this week.

If the current schedule holds, the pavilion could be completed in 2028 or early 2029, per city documents.

Richmond unveils design for $18M Lumpkin's Slave Jail Pavilion

The project will preserve one of the nation's most significant slave-trading sites.

A modern brick building with a slanted roof and a large perforated brick wall featuring a red mural of a face. People walk on a tiled plaza beside green grass and trees under a blue sky.

The exterior will be available to visitors even when the pavilion is closed. Photo: Baskervill and the City of Richmond

Richmond unveiled the design for the Lumpkin&#x27;s Slave Jail Pavilion, the next major piece of the city&#x27;s long-planned <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Shockoe Project" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/02/29/richnmond-bfd-shockoe-project-slavery-museum" data-vars-content-id="a24220b6-96b5-43cc-b260-0850a860d086" data-vars-headline="Richmond unveils design for $18M Lumpkin&#x27;s Slave Jail Pavilion" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/richmond/2024/02/29/richnmond-bfd-shockoe-project-slavery-museum" target="_self">Shockoe Project</a>.The big picture: The $18 million pavilion will preserve and tell the story of one of the nation&#x27;s most significant surviving slave-trading sites, where thousands of enslaved people were imprisoned before being sold.

History

The Diamond District's first major park is starting construction this fall and could open next summer, the developer tells Axios.

Why it matters: The project will add over 2.2 acres of green space and include a lawn for concerts, a playground and a walkway honoring Richmond tennis legend Arthur Ashe.

Sunny park scene with families, colorful flowers, and trees. A covered pavilion, solar panels, balloons, and a stadium sign reading "CarMax Park" with "Flying Squirrels" nearby.

The small stage for concerts. Image: Diamond District Partners, Waterstreet Studios

The big picture: The public park is set to be built behind the CarMax Park scoreboard, says Maritza Pechin, development director with Thalhimer Realty Partners.

It'll connect to the stadium's playground and bathrooms and feature a sculpture by local muralist Mickael Broth, who was chosen from 15 artist submissions nationwide.

Broth will work with the development team and Richmonders for the final design.

Between the lines: The new green space also lands in a Richmond neighborhood facing higher-than-average heat, making tree canopy especially valuable.

Orange construction excavator with extended arm sits on a dirt site behind a chain-link fence; piles of dirt and distant buildings and billboards line the background under a clear blue sky.

What the site looks like currently. Photo: Sabrina Moreno/Axios

Zoom in: Diamond District Partners, led by Thalhimer, will build and maintain the park before transferring ownership to Richmond's Economic Development Authority once it's complete, per Pechin.

The final cost — funded through an EDA bond backed by the Flying Squirrels' CarMax Park lease payments —  is expected in August after receiving subcontractor bids.

What we're watching: The timeline comes as the broader Diamond District project faces legal disputes between Flying Squirrels owner Lou DiBella and the project's developers.

But the Navigators, the parent company of the Squirrels, says "we encourage progress in the Diamond District, particularly the park, and are in no way trying to delay it," spokesperson Ben Sosenko tells Axios.

Pechin says the park remains on track to break ground this fall.

First look: New Diamond District park could open next summer

The Richmond public park will have a concert lawn, playground and a walkway honoring Arthur Ashe.

Aerial view of CarMax Park baseball stadium with a striped green field and a large scoreboard reading "Home of the Flying Squirrels," surrounded by trees, a playground, and a street with cars.

A birdseye view of what the park could look like, including the incoming office building across the street. Image: Diamond District Partners, Waterstreet Studios

The Diamond District&#x27;s first major park is starting construction this fall and could open next summer, the developer tells Axios.Why it matters: The project will add over 2.2 acres of green space and include a lawn for concerts, a playground and a walkway honoring Richmond tennis legend Arthur Ashe.

An Amazon AI assistant that's been answering Richmond's non-emergency calls since last year has cost the city more than $52,000.

Why it matters: City officials tell Axios the technology has helped free dispatchers to answer 911 calls faster.

But callers aren't told they're speaking with AI, and Axios found it doesn't always respond consistently.

The big picture: Richmond signed a $46,000 contract with CDW Government in January 2025 to build a customized Amazon Connect system that understands caller requests and routes them to the appropriate city department, per documents obtained by Axios.

The system went live in April 2025 and now acts as a city services navigator for RVA 311, police information, animal control and more. 

Although the city estimated annual operating costs of $24,000, it has spent roughly $6,600 since then, city spokesperson Taylor Fuqua tells Axios.

Zoom in: About 10% to 15% of non-emergency calls are handled entirely by AI, while another 5% are routed directly to other city agencies, Fuqua says.

How it works: The assistant draws from city-approved information rather than generating its own responses, Fuqua says.

Fuqua says callers' data isn't shared with Amazon to train AI models.

When Axios asked whether the assistant was artificial intelligence, the bot replied: "I'm not readily finding the information you requested."

If the AI can't confidently answer a question, it transfers callers to a live dispatcher.

The payoff: In January, dispatchers answered about 93% of emergency calls within 15 seconds, up from about 85% the year before.

Yes, but: As more 911 centers turn to AI to manage staffing shortages and heavy call volumes, the National Emergency Number Association recommends telling people who they're talking to.

"Because again, trust is everything when it comes to public safety," April Heinze, NENA's vice president of 9-1-1 operations, tells Axios.

The intrigue: Axios called Richmond's non-emergency line (804-646-5100) five times to see how the AI performed over a year after being adopted.

In one instance, it accurately answered questions about reporting potholes and broken traffic lights, then offered text links to the right city services. 

In another, it appeared to disconnect before transferring the call to a dispatcher.

After offering Spanish-language service, the AI transferred Axios to a dispatcher who replied in English.

What they're saying: "If the system only serves the people it understands easily, then it is really not improving access," Renée Cummings, a UVA assistant professor specializing in building ethical AI, tells Axios.

What we're watching: Richmond sees AI taking on a bigger workload.

Thom Gann, Richmond's emergency communications technology manager, told State Tech earlier this year he hopes to have AI handle "as much as possible, so that many of these calls never hit the emergency center."

Scoop: A $52K AI assistant is answering Richmond's non-emergency calls

Officials say it's helped dispatchers answer 911 calls faster. But callers aren't told they're speaking with AI.

Illustration of a cell phone with vintage tin style robot heads radiating outwards in a concentric circular pattern. 

An Amazon AI assistant that&#x27;s been answering Richmond&#x27;s non-emergency calls since last year has cost the city more than $52,000.Why it matters: City officials tell Axios the technology has helped free dispatchers to answer 911 calls faster.<ul><li>But callers aren&#x27;t told they&#x27;re speaking with AI, and Axios found it doesn&#x27;t always respond consistently.</li></ul>

Sabrina Moreno

Featured stories

First look: New Diamond District park could open next summer

A parallel parking competition is coming to Richmond

Scoop: A $52K AI assistant is answering Richmond's non-emergency calls

Google confronts skepticism over Chesterfield data centers

Richmond unveils design for $18M Lumpkin's Slave Jail Pavilion