Global AI Defies Stop-Work Orders at Colorado Data Center Site

Repeated violations at former Kodak site

A New York-based AI company has repeatedly ignored county orders to halt construction at a massive data center project in Colorado, according to public records obtained by CPR News.

Weld County officials have issued at least three stop-work orders against Global AI since May 2026 as the company converts a 438-acre former Kodak facility near Windsor into what could become Colorado's largest data center. The county posted orders on May 7, June 11, and again on an unspecified date, all citing unpermitted construction work.

After four inspections in June and July revealed ongoing violations, the county escalated to a formal "order to abate" letter on July 20, giving Global AI until July 31 to comply or face "termination of unlawful occupancy" of the property. Neither the company nor county officials responded to requests confirming whether Global AI met the deadline, with the county citing a pending investigation.

Global AI, which plans to operate the facility alongside Nvidia and Humain (an Arabic-language AI model backed by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund), purchased the property in November 2025.

Why it matters

The case illustrates the regulatory challenges communities face as AI companies race to build infrastructure for power-hungry large language models. Data centers require enormous amounts of electricity and water—resources that can strain local utilities and spark community opposition. When companies proceed with construction before securing proper permits, counties must balance economic development against resident concerns and regulatory compliance.

Power and water gaps raise questions

The project's initial phase will consume 27.5 megawatts—enough to power 22,000 homes—with plans to eventually scale to one gigawatt, roughly equivalent to a nuclear reactor's output. That would make it Colorado's largest data center by far.

But Global AI's zoning application revealed significant resource gaps. Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association stated it can only provide 35 megawatts until mid-2028, dropping to 27 megawatts by early 2028 and declining further in 2029 due to limited wholesale power availability from Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association.

To reach one gigawatt capacity, Global AI says it will use Bloom oxide fuel cells starting in Phase II, producing electricity from natural gas without combustion. However, the company hasn't filed for required state air permits as of late July or provided environmental impact data for these fuel cells.

Water access presents another obstacle. Greeley must supply water through March 2027 under an old Kodak agreement but has made clear it will cut off service unless Global AI allows the city to annex the property. Windsor has made a similar annexation offer. The company plans a closed-loop cooling system but still needs running water for maintenance and daily operations.

Community pushback intensifies

The facility sits in unincorporated Weld County, surrounded almost entirely by Windsor and just miles from Greeley. The county has received hundreds of constituent comments expressing concerns about noise, power reliability, and environmental impacts.

"This is not the place to put a data center, right in the middle of all these communities," said Scott Simmons, a retired IT architect who lives about a mile from the site. "I'm concerned for my grandkids. I'm concerned for the children in this area."

Weld County passed an ordinance earlier in 2026 requiring data centers to prove adequate power and water supply, demonstrate noise compliance, and locate on industrial-zoned land before receiving permits. The Global AI site is zoned "light industrial," triggering a "Use by Special Review" process that allows greater public input.

According to county planner Angela Snyder, Global AI must still submit revised applications showing proof of water supply and noise regulation compliance. A county review published August 7 confirmed these outstanding requirements.

Global AI has not disclosed what computing demand the data center would serve or provided a timeline for future expansion phases.

These details were first reported by CPR News.