Image Credit: Project River.
Article by Olivia Lupia, Tennessee Conservative News –
The Wright Family in Bradley County is planning to turn 850 acres of land into “Project River”, an industrial campus projected to bring thousands of jobs and over $11 billion in investments into the county, including an on-site power plant and data center fueled through a unique closed-loop biomass drying system.
According to a website for the project, the ambitious development will be “designed to generate its own power, make its own water and run quietly.” The site lists five defining qualities of Project River that are intended to keep it conservation-minded and help revitalize the area’s dying logging industry:
- Self-Generated Power: Power will be generated on-site via biomass and natural gas. “The grid is for peaking and backing, not primary supply,” the website says.
- Independent Water Supply: Water will be generated and collected from the moisture recovered as biomass dries (material from plants and animals- primarily surplus timber in this case), running on a closed loop. The system will supposedly recover enough clean water each year to supply both the power plant and the anchor tenant (likely a data center) with “no day-to-day draw on the municipal system.”
- Quiet By Design: The area’s natural topography will theoretically help create a sound buffer as the site is in a small valley. Additionally, because the power for Project River will be generated through natural gas and woody biomass there will no need for diesel generators. These backup generators are often the impetus for noise complaints surrounding data centers as they can reach 100 decibels and are often audible up to a mile away.
- Local Jobs & Revived Forestry Industry: Project River is anticipated to create roughly 2,600 jobs- 900 permanent positions (525 data center, 250 power generation, 125 biomass handling) and 1,700 indirect forestry jobs across the regional supply chain. Per one report, the median salary is expected to be around $84,600.
- Community Accountability: “The project earns its place, it does not take it,” the website states. Project River will supposedly make “long-term commitments” to Cleveland and Bradley Schools alongside “workforce programs and local organizations.”
If Project River reaches its full $11.3 billion investment, it will be one of the largest private investments in state history and could help restart the local forestry industry by reintroducing demand for locally grown timber.
Developers reportedly hope to break ground on the project in late 2027 or early 2028, with construction taking place in phases over five years.
The site is also being actively marketed to “advanced manufacturing, robotics, and semiconductor enterprises”, and applications for land use changes and municipal utility annexation have already been submitted.
Project River proponents assure residents they will not see any increases in power or water bills and have promoted economic perks, with the project anticipated to “generate tens of millions of dollars in annual public revenue for the City of Cleveland and Bradley County, funding local schools, roads, public libraries, municipal debt service, public works, and capital projects without raising taxes.”
“We think this is actually the model that could be for data centers going forward. This is completely different than any premonition or perception of what a data center is currently,” said Lukas Salyer, president of Wright Industrial Group and a member of the Wright family by marriage.
But many residents remain unconvinced, as pushback against data centers continues across the state. In April, the Bradley County Commission unanimously voted to establish new zoning regulations for data centers, cryptocurrency mines, and other AI facilities, requiring them to first go before the county’s planning commission for approval and prohibiting construction of these facilities within 3,000 feet of any farm, agricultural property, residence, school, or church.
But these regulations will likely not hinder Project River, and community members have continued to express concerns about the effects it may have on aspects like local business and wildlife.
A co-owner of a local B&B, which sits next door to the Project River property, said he’s been in constant communication with the Wright family about the plans but still has apprehension whether the construction and eventual facilities will drive off wildlife, which could affect how many people patronize his business.
Project River is still at the beginning of the local approval process, and developers have scheduled two public informational forums to address concerns and answer community questions. They are scheduled for Sept. 1 at 6 pm and Sept. 12 at 10 am. Both will be held at the PIE Center in Cleveland.
Sources:
https://www.chattanoogan.com/2026/8/26/522510/Proponents-Of-Bradley-County-Project.aspx
https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2026/aug/26/project-river-113b-bradley-county-campus-to
https://www.wdef.com/project-river-to-bring-7-3-billion-data-center-2600-jobs-to-bradley-county
About the Author: Olivia Lupia is a political refugee from Colorado who now calls Tennessee home. A proud follower of Christ, she views all political happenings through a Biblical lens and aims to utilize her knowledge and experience to educate and equip others. Olivia is an outspoken conservative who has run for local office, managed campaigns, and been highly involved with state & local GOPs, state legislatures, and other grassroots organizations and movements. Olivia can be reached at olivia@tennesseeconservativenews.com.
