Mayor John Horhn told WLBT on Monday that no data center is currently in the works for the Lake Hico site, calling discussions about the project 'very premature.' The statement marks a sharp reversal from records obtained by The Jackson Wire showing his administration had quietly planned a data center hub at the site for months.

The mayor's comments came the same day a federal judge expressed concern about what a potential data center project could mean for JXN Water, the federally mandated water system that has been under court supervision since 2022. The judge's remarks suggest the project could face legal headwinds beyond the city council's moratorium.

Horhn's characterization of the talks as 'very premature' contradicts internal documents reviewed by The Jackson Wire last week that showed city officials had been in discussions with developers about the Lake Hico site since at least early 2026. Those records indicated the administration had identified the 200-acre parcel as a priority location for data center development.

The city council passed a 120-day moratorium on new data center developments on July 14, voting 5-2 after months of public debate. The moratorium was intended to give the city time to study zoning, infrastructure, and utility impacts before approving any new projects.

Council members who supported the moratorium cited concerns about water usage, energy demands, and the lack of a comprehensive data center policy. The Lake Hico site, located near the Pearl River and within JXN Water's service area, had emerged as a flashpoint in those debates.

The federal judge's concern adds a new dimension. JXN Water has been operating under a federal receivership since U.S. District Judge Henry T. Wingate found the city's water system in contempt of court for failing to address chronic failures. A large data center's water demands could strain a system still struggling to meet basic service obligations.

Records show the Horhn administration had been in contact with at least two data center developers about the Lake Hico site. One proposal envisioned a campus of multiple buildings drawing significant power and water from city utilities. The administration did not brief the council on these discussions before they were made public.

Horhn's Monday statement appears designed to cool the political temperature. But the gap between what the administration's records show and what the mayor now says publicly raises questions about the city's overall approach to data center development and whether the council can trust the information it receives from the executive branch.

The Lake Hico site has been a subject of speculation since at least June, when The Jackson Wire first reported on the administration's quiet planning. The site's proximity to the Pearl River and existing power infrastructure made it attractive to developers, but its location within a floodplain and near residential neighborhoods drew opposition.

The council's moratorium expires in mid-November. By then, the city is supposed to have completed a study of data center impacts and adopted a zoning framework. Whether the administration will share whatever it knows about developer interest in specific sites remains an open question.

For JXN Water, the judge's concern may be the more consequential development. The water system has made halting progress under receivership, and any new large-scale industrial user would require approvals that the court could block. The judge's remarks suggest the court is watching the data center debate closely.