An 8-GW AI campus promises 35K construction jobs and 2.5K operating jobs. What should communities negotiate first?

OpenAI says its PORTS-Pike agreement in Ohio could secure approximately 8 gigawatts of IT capacity, create 35,000 construction jobs during a six-year buildout, and support 2,500 long-term operating jobs. OpenAI also describes a $40 million community grant fund, a separate $40 million commitment from SB Energy, and $84 million in Codex credits for eligible Ohio college students. The numbers highlight the core local tradeoff: enormous construction and infrastructure demand, followed by a much smaller permanent workforce. Before approval, communities need enforceable terms around power and water costs, grid upgrades, tax treatment, local hiring, housing pressure, environmental monitoring, and decommissioning liability. Which commitments should be contractual rather than aspirational, and who should publish the ongoing scorecard? Source: OpenAI, August 17, 2026 — https://openai.com/index/openai-joins-ports-pike-project/