Stargate Abilene workforce housing: RV parks, rentals, or your own crew units
Last updated 2026-10-19 · Facts as published by the sources listed below. We are not affiliated with this project.
Project facts
| Location | Abilene area, Taylor County · Big Country (Abilene area) |
|---|---|
| Developer / tenant | Crusoe, building for Oracle to run OpenAI workloads [1] |
| Size | Eight buildings, about 4 million sq ft [1] |
| Workforce | About 9,000 craft workers on site daily, per a Crusoe executive [2] |
| Schedule | Construction reported to run through early 2027 [2] |
| Location | North side of Abilene, Taylor County |
Where crews live today
Elmdale Road park (about 957 spaces)
Approved by the city in January 2026 as a temporary park for data center workers, with units to be removed when the need ends. [3]
Elmdale RV Park
Advertises 2,300 sites at $675 a month with utilities and markets itself as “6 minutes” from the Frontier site. [4]
Cottages at the Frontier
945 RV spaces on 109 acres, estimated at $15 million in a TDLR filing. [5]
Frontier Cottages
399 sq ft one-bedroom units listed at $1,850 a month. [6]
Hotels and rentals
Abilene uses the GSA standard lodging rate ($113 in FY2027); actual rates rise with demand. [7]
Option 3: own your beds
Hotels, RV parks, and operator camps are all rentals. The third option is to own crew units on land you lease or buy near the work, then move or resell them at the end. Three things decide whether it works:
Land
A level, drained site with truck access for 16 ft wide loads. Leased ranch or industrial land near the gate is common.
Permits: city vs. county
Abilene adopted RV park rules in early 2026 that cap density at 10 spaces per acre with two parking spaces per unit (FOX West Texas). Inside city limits, check zoning and that ordinance first. Outside city limits in Taylor County, septic permits, plat rules, and access drive the schedule.
Utilities
Water (city, well, or hauled), wastewater (sewer, septic, or holding tanks), and power service sized for every room’s PTAC and water heater. See what a camp needs.
Cost comparison
| Option | Published cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel at the GSA Taylor County (standard rate) rate | $113 / night ≈ $3,435 / month per worker | Federal FY2027 lodging rate; actual rates rise with demand |
| RV site (worker supplies the RV) | $675 / month with utilities [4] | Advertised or listed rate |
| Furnished 399 sq ft cottage | $1,850 / month [6] | Advertised or listed rate |
| Operator camp | Contract rate per bed | Often bundled services and multi-year minimums |
| Owned crew units | Run the calculator | Units, freight and set, site work, minus resale. See cost per bed |
Planning mix
- 200 beds: 40 × 16×76 5-bed crew units, plus laundry and a dining plan
- Or 30 × 7-room sleepers (210 beds) with a dining building
- Supervisors: 2–4 suite units with private kitchens
Units: 16×76 5-Bed, 5-Bath Crew Unit (Shared Kitchen)16×76 5-Room Sleeper (No Kitchen)7-Room High-Density Sleeper16×76 4-Suite Unit (Four Full Kitchens)
Delivery
Abilene is about 225 miles from Seguin, TX in a straight line; road miles are longer. Units travel as 16 ft wide oversize loads with permits. Delivery lead time depends on whether units are in stock or need a build slot. Ask us for a current timeline to Taylor County.
Common questions
Where do Stargate Abilene workers live?
Mostly in RV parks, motels, and rentals around Abilene and nearby towns, plus new temporary parks approved in 2026 such as the roughly 957-space park on Elmdale Road.
How much is an RV site near the Abilene data centers?
Elmdale RV Park advertises monthly sites at $675 with utilities included (checked October 2026).
Can I put crew units on land near Abilene?
Often, subject to city zoning and Abilene’s RV park rules inside city limits, or county septic and plat rules outside. Check before you buy land.
Do you work on the Stargate project?
No. We sell crew units to contractors and landowners who want their own housing near the site.
How fast can crew units be set up near Abilene?
Units can be delivered once pads, access, and utilities are ready, and site work usually sets the schedule. Lead times depend on stock and build slots; ask us for a current timeline.
Can I own crew housing near Abilene instead of renting?
Yes, if you can lease or buy land and permit it. Compare owning with hotels at the GSA rate ($113 a night) in the break-even calculator.
Sources
- Oracle / OpenAI Abilene data center fact sheet (Sep 2025)
- KTXS, “Construction on Stargate One data center campus set to run through early 2027” (2026)
- KTXS, RV park for data center workers on Elmdale Road (about 957 spaces) (Jan 12, 2026)
- Elmdale RV Park website: 2,300 sites, $675/month with utilities, “6 minutes” from Frontier (checked Oct 2026)
- Houston Chronicle: Cottages at the Frontier, 945 RV spaces on 109 acres, estimated $15 million (TDLR filing) (Mar 9, 2026)
- West Texas Tribune, Frontier Cottages: 399 sq ft one-bedroom units at $1,850/month (Mar 30, 2026)
- GSA Per Diem Bulletin FTR 27-01: FY2027 standard CONUS lodging rate $113 (up from $110), effective Oct 1, 2026 (Sep 2026)
Last updated 2026-10-19. Figures are as published by each source on the date shown; re-check before you budget.
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