Compass Datacenters DFW IV withdraws tax abatement request to Ellis County

A proposed tax abatement agreement between Ellis County and Compass Datacenters DFW IV doesn’t appear after all on the upcoming Tuesday, June 23, agenda for the Ellis County Commissioners Court.

The county had previously indicated the agenda item would appear via a May 22 agenda posting that provided 30 days’ notice of the proposed measure. In The Know Ellis inquired about the item’s absence, with county public information officer Leah Martinek replying via email:

“The request for a Tax Abatement Agreement submitted by Compass Datacenters DFW IV, LLC, for property located within Reinvestment Zone No. 15 in the City of Red Oak, has been withdrawn by the applicant. As a result, the request has been removed from the agenda and will not be considered by the Ellis County Commissioners Court at its June 23, 2026, meeting.”

It’s unclear from the response whether the measure might appear again in the future – and if it would require another 30-day notice.

The data center, located in the city of Red Oak, comprises just under 895 acres of land. The company recently announced a $15 million grant to the county for purposes of building a regional animal shelter.

With a unanimous vote, the commissioners court accepted that gift at its last meeting, during which multiple people who spoke during public comments made note of the county’s need for a shelter; however, several of those on hand questioned Compass Datacenters’ motivation.

Written by Jo Ann Livingston/In The Know Ellis.