Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- BlockOps seeks out communities with excess, stranded power, not just cheap power. That leads us to rural towns that need investment, not just towns that have already attracted it.
- A single BlockOps facility can generate $100,000+ in annual sales tax revenue for a small city, plus millions in total capital investment into aging industrial infrastructure.
- BlockOps is an owner-operator, not a broker. We purchase the land, renovate the buildings, employ on-site technicians, and stay. That permanence is what distinguishes real economic development from a temporary tenant.
Bitcoin mining gets covered as a financial story. It rarely gets covered as a community development story. That gap is worth closing.
BlockOps operates several facilities across Arkansas, and the pattern of how we choose sites is consistent: find a community with stranded power, find a building that used to employ people and no longer does, and turn it back into something. We are not a broker chasing the lowest headline rate. We are an owner-operator that purchases land, renovates infrastructure, and builds a permanent operation. That distinction matters enormously to the communities on the receiving end.
Stranded Power Is the Starting Point
BlockOps does not start with a rate sheet. We survey communities where excess power capacity exists but isn’t being fully utilized. That search consistently surfaces rural towns where industrial load has declined, leaving utilities with generation capacity and no buyer.
One eastern Arkansas city is a recent example. When we surveyed the area, 8 megawatts of available industrial capacity were sitting underutilized. That excess power, which would otherwise represent lost utility revenue, became the foundation for a $13.5 million investment in the community.
This model turns a rural disadvantage into an asset. Towns that lost manufacturing decades ago often have substantial power infrastructure with nowhere to send it. BlockOps looks for them specifically because of that gap.
The Helena-West Helena Story
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 approximately $300,000 and committed to a full renovation of the industrial infrastructure. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette covered the approval in March 2025, and the mayor’s reaction was telling.
The numbers the city cares about:
- $2 million in renovation investment to build out energy infrastructure
- $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 bitcoin miners housed in the facility, half operated by BlockOps and half by external clients
Mayor Christopher Franklin put it directly: “Thank you for looking at Helena. We need more people like you willing to invest in Helena.”
Helena-West Helena is not unique in our portfolio. We also operate in Russellville, in Moreland in rural Pope County, and have additional development planned in Marion. Each location follows the same logic: distressed or underutilized industrial land, available power, a community that benefits from the investment.
Old Buildings, New Purpose
BlockOps representative Ben Smith, 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.”
That is an accurate description of what bitcoin mining requires and what rural Arkansas has in abundance. A former sawmill is a large, industrial building with high ceilings, heavy power connections, and concrete floors. It is exactly what a bitcoin mining facility needs. Without a purpose, it collects dust. With a purpose, it generates tax revenue, employs technicians, and attracts additional investment.
The facility in Helena-West Helena will be air-cooled (fans, not water), a deliberate engineering choice given the city’s recent water system challenges. We designed the operation to have no impact on the local water supply or utility rates.
Why This Model Works for Rural Communities
The owner-operator structure is what makes our community 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 tax revenue go with it.
We own the land and the buildings at every facility. We are the site. That permanence is what a city council is actually voting for when it approves a BlockOps project: not just a tenant, but an owner with a long-term stake in the community.
Combined with 24/7 on-site technicians, 99%+ uptime, and a transparent $0.08 per kWh pass-through rate, our operation is built to run for years, not quarters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does BlockOps choose which rural communities to invest in?
We survey communities where excess industrial power capacity exists. When a town has more generation capacity than current industrial demand, we evaluate the site for a facility. We look for large industrial buildings that can be renovated, adequate power allotment, and a city government willing to support the project.
What tax revenue does a BlockOps facility generate for a local city?
The Helena-West Helena facility is projected to generate $105,000 in annual sales tax revenue for the city, primarily from the sale of hosting placements (currently around $3,000 per machine) to non-BlockOps miners.
Does bitcoin mining compete with local water systems?
The Helena-West Helena facility is air-cooled, not water-cooled. Fans are used to manage heat, so the operation places no demand on the local water utility and does not affect local water rates or supply.
How much does BlockOps invest in a facility renovation?
The Helena-West Helena build-out involves approximately $2 million in infrastructure renovation and a projected $13.5 million in total investment once hardware is fully installed. We purchased the former sawmill property for approximately $300,000.
Is BlockOps a permanent presence or a short-term tenant?
We purchase the land and buildings at each facility. We are not a broker or intermediary leasing space from a third party. That ownership structure means we have a long-term stake in each community we operate in.
Build Your Mining Strategy in Rural Arkansas
Rural Arkansas has cheap power, available industrial land, a favorable regulatory environment under the Arkansas Data Centers Act, and a long history of industrial operations. We have facilities here because the fundamentals are right, not as a PR story, but as the basis for a profitable, durable operation.
Arkansas offers the right mix of stranded power, pro-mining regulation, and underutilized industrial infrastructure. If you’re ready to secure enterprise-grade hosting with an owner-operator who fully controls the stack, contact the BlockOps team today to view our pricing and availability.