For more than 85 years, the Cow Palace has hosted everything from Republican National Conventions to techno shows.
Now, the historic venue could take on a very different role: serving as a home for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Global Stack, a Santa Ana-based company, has proposed building a small data center at the Cow Palace, along with a multi-level parking garage and a helicopter landing pad.
The company says the facility would provide AI computing power for local customers and be designed to keep operating during power outages or disasters.
The proposal is part of a broader plan targeting 33 fairgrounds across California, including eight in the Bay Area.
According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Cow Palace CEO Allison Keaney says the fairgrounds are still evaluating the proposal and have not made any decisions.
Keaney says fairgrounds serve many roles beyond hosting events — they are community gathering spaces, food distribution sites and training grounds for first responders.
But she also acknowledged that fairgrounds across California face ongoing financial challenges, and finding new sources of revenue may require creative approaches.
The proposal has faced pushback in some communities. The Calistoga Fairgrounds rejected a similar plan after residents raised concerns about potential noise and pollution impacts.
