Atlanta Daily Local Headlines: ICE facility plans, interchange rebuild, data-center pause, warming centers

Local headlines to know

Oakwood land purchase moves a proposed ICE detention center closer

Federal property records show the Department of Homeland Security has purchased a Hall County site off Atlanta Highway in Oakwood for $68,162,500, with plans tied to converting an existing warehouse into an ICE detention facility. A member of Congress has said the retrofitted site could hold up to 1,600 people and function as a regional processing center, with typical stays expected to be measured in days.

$1B rebuild at the I-20/I-285 West interchange reaches a visible milestone

Crews have started setting massive beams on columns to form new flyover ramps as Georgia’s long-running overhaul of the I-20/I-285 West interchange shifts deeper into construction mode. Transportation officials say the redesign will remove older left-side ramps and tight loops, and drivers should brace for additional overnight lane and road closures as beam work continues into March.

Cobb County hits pause on new data center applications

Cobb County commissioners approved a 180-day moratorium on accepting new rezoning and permit applications for data centers in unincorporated areas. The goal is to give county staff time to update rules for large facilities as concerns mount about infrastructure strain and neighborhood impacts.

Warming centers activate during the cold snap

The City of Atlanta opened warming centers for overnight hours early this week, with transportation available from the Gateway Center during activation. DeKalb County also activated warming centers through Wednesday night, including a site in Atlanta.

• Atlanta: Central Park Recreation Center; Selena S. Butler Park and Recreation Center (women and children); Old Adamsville Recreation Center (overflow)
• DeKalb: Exchange Park Intergenerational Center; Frontline Response International (Atlanta); Tobie Grant Recreation Center

Braves games get a new local TV home

The Braves announced BravesVision, an in-house local broadcast platform slated to carry more than 140 regular-season games, with additional distribution details expected ahead of Opening Day. A select number of games are also expected to air free over the air in the region.

Sources

• https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/02/24/homeland-security-buys-land-oakwood-ice-facility-68m-sale/
• https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/perimeter-cobb-fulton-interstate-interchange-construction.amp
• https://www.wsbradio.com/news/local/cobb-county-approves-temporary-ban-new-data-centers/2L4HP572S5ENLO2RQQYH7RO2TY/
• https://www.atlantaga.gov/Home/Components/News/News/15664/1338
• https://www.dekalbcountyga.gov/news/dekalb-county-warming-centers-open-february-22nd-wednesday-february-25th
• https://www.atlantanewsfirst.com/2026/02/24/atlanta-braves-launch-exclusive-television-network/