Fluidstack has started construction on the first phase of a data center campus in Cameron County, the company announced in a Thursday news release.

The $4 billion project will sit on more than 1,100 acres east of Valley International Airport and west of the Port of Harlingen near Rio Hondo. It is expected to create more than 2,500 construction jobs and several hundred permanent jobs, the news release added.

The project complies with directives from Gov. Greg Abbott, ERCOT, the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Cameron County Resolution on data centers. Fluidstack is also developing community benefit commitments with local leaders, with details to be announced as agreements are finalized, Fluidstack said.

The announcement comes a week after Harlingen city commissioners tabled a drainage agreement that would have allowed Fluidstack to route stormwater into a city-owned canal.

READ MORE: Harlingen tables FluidStack data center drainage request after public pushback

The news release does not say what will happen with the stormwater, but mentions that the company will use closed-loop cooling supplied by East Rio Hondo Water Supply Corporation.

The company says it will cover all energy, infrastructure and water costs, with nothing passed on to residents. The project also comes with no local property tax breaks and will add millions of dollars per year to the local tax base.

Fluidstack says the system uses less water than an Olympic-sized swimming pool, filled once and recycled indefinitely.

"We pay our own way: our energy, our infrastructure, our water and full local property taxes and we build to the Governor's standards from day one,” Fluidstack spokesperson Kate Franko said. "The Rio Grande Valley knows how to build big things and we're hiring here first for construction, electrical, skilled trades and permanent operations careers. We welcome oversight from elected officials and if a neighbor ever has a concern, we'll address it quickly."

Cameron County Commissioner David A. Garza, whose precinct includes the area where the campus will be built, welcomed the project in a statement.

"They are investing in and paying for their own energy and infrastructure, ensuring those costs do not fall on our residents," Garza said. "They will also pay their full share of local taxes, while maintaining extremely low water usage — an especially important consideration for our region. Just as importantly, Fluidstack is working with local leaders to help address longstanding regional challenges. We welcome their investment and look forward to the economic opportunities this project will bring to Cameron County."

Channel 5 News is reaching out to additional Cameron County leaders for comment on these developments.

Fluidstack said additional details of the project are available online.

This is a developing story, check back for updates.