Georgia residents hit OpenAI with racketeering suit over $30bn data center

OpenAI and a group of Effingham County officials face civil racketeering charges over the planned $30 billion Project Camellia data center in Georgia. It's the third lawsuit filed against the 3.2 GW campus since the project was announced in July.

The complaint comes from three Effingham County residents, represented by law firm Savage Turner Pinkney Savage Sprouse & Gilluly. They're suing the ChatGPT maker, two of its affiliates, and a host of county officials, alleging the parties kept residents in the dark about the project.

What exactly are the allegations?

The suit lays out several claims:

• Civil conspiracy, accusing the company and officials of advancing the data center scheme through behind-closed-door discussions and decisions
• Improper zoning procedures
• Civil racketeering, involving false statements, perjury, and forgery

The complaint doesn't detail which specific statements by any party would constitute racketeering. That gap matters — racketeering claims live or die on specifics, and practitioners will want to watch whether the plaintiffs amend with particulars.

The plaintiffs also say offers to buy properties near the data center site have been reduced or withdrawn completely. They argue the development has hurt the value of their properties, and they're seeking civil damages.

Where would Project Camellia actually sit?

The campus is slated for a 1,440-acre parcel at the Savannah Gateway Industrial Hub, near the town of Rincon. Plans call for four data center buildings totaling 4.4 million sq ft (408,775 sqm) of footprint — roughly the floor area of 75 American football fields packed into one campus.

Construction could begin in 2028 if final permission comes through. A decision had been due at a Supervisors' board meeting on November 4, but officials have pushed it to November 19. That two-week delay now lands squarely in the middle of a legal fight.

Is this the only legal challenge?

No. Two other lawsuits tied to the project were filed earlier this year. One targets zoning, and the other focuses on the Effingham County Industrial Development Authority's role in advancing the development.

None of the three cases has yet reached court, so there's no ruling on the merits of any claim. DCD has contacted OpenAI for comment.

What does this mean for hyperscale builders?

For operators racing to lock down gigawatt-scale sites, the Effingham fight is a caution light. The $30 billion price tag didn't shield the project from claims that zoning moved too fast and residents learned too little. If the racketeering charge survives early motions, it could embolden similar challenges at other campuses announced with tight timelines.

The November 19 board decision will be the next concrete signal. A green light won't dissolve the lawsuits, but it will tell us whether county officials still back the project under legal fire — and whether OpenAI's Georgia bet stays on schedule for a 2028 build start.