Key Takeaways
Why does BlockOps start with stranded power?
We do not start with a rate sheet. We survey communities where excess capacity exists but is not being fully used. One eastern Arkansas city is a recent example: when we surveyed the area, 8 megawatts of available industrial capacity were sitting underutilized. That excess, which would otherwise be lost utility revenue, became the foundation for a $13.5 million investment.
This turns a rural disadvantage into an asset. Towns that lost manufacturing often still have substantial power infrastructure with nowhere to send it. We look for them specifically because of that gap.
What did the Helena-West Helena project actually involve?
In early 2025 the city council approved our facility on 168 acres that formerly housed the Dragon Woodland Sawmill Corporation. We purchased the property for roughly $300,000 and committed to a full renovation of the industrial infrastructure. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette covered the approval in March 2025. [1]
$13.5 million in total projected investment once hardware is fully installed
$105,000 in projected annual sales tax revenue for Helena-West Helena
2,900 miners housed in the facility, half operated by BlockOps and half by clients
Mayor Christopher Franklin’s reaction was direct: “Thank you for looking at Helena. We need more people like you willing to invest in Helena.” [1]
Helena-West Helena is not unique in the portfolio. We also operate in Russellville and in Moreland in rural Pope County, with further development planned in Marion. Each follows the same logic: underutilized industrial land, available power, a community that benefits from the investment.
Why do old industrial buildings fit bitcoin mining?
BlockOps representative Ben Smith, who is also president of the Arkansas Blockchain Council, told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette plainly: “There’s a lot of old, dilapidated infrastructure that our industry can revitalize and use.” [1]
That is an accurate description of what mining needs and what rural Arkansas has. A former sawmill is a large industrial building with high ceilings, heavy power connections and concrete floors. Without a purpose it collects dust. With one it generates tax revenue, employs technicians and draws further investment.
The Helena-West Helena facility is air-cooled. Fans, not water. That was a deliberate engineering choice given the city’s recent water system challenges, and it means the operation places no demand on the local water supply or utility rates.
Why does owning the site matter to a community?
The owner-operator structure is what makes the impact durable. A broker-model hosting company does not own the building. It leases capacity from a site it does not control, and if that relationship changes, the jobs and the tax revenue leave with it.
We own the land and the buildings at every facility. That permanence is what a city council is actually voting for: not a tenant, but an owner with a long-term stake. Combined with technicians on site around the clock, uptime above 99% and transparent pass-through power pricing, the operation is built to run for years rather than quarters. The difference between the two models is covered in more detail in our owner-operator vs. broker comparison.