James Ding
Feb 23, 2026 18:23
Oracle becomes exclusive sponsor of Dino Dig education park in Sunland Park, New Mexico, part of broader Project Jupiter community commitments totaling over $410 million.
Oracle has signed on as exclusive title sponsor for Dino Dig, a hands-on paleontology education park planned for Sunland Park, New Mexico. The sponsorship represents the company’s latest community investment tied to its massive Project Jupiter data center development in Doña Ana County.
The education park, spearheaded by local nonprofit Moms on Board in partnership with the City of Sunland Park, draws inspiration from 98-million-year-old dinosaur footprints discovered at the base of Mount Cristo Rey. Kids will dig through replica fossil sites and learn about the prehistoric creatures that once roamed the region.
“Oracle’s contribution will help bring this community resource to life,” said Mayra Garcia Lopez, executive director of Moms on Board. The park will be located within the Sunland Park Sports Complex and host school field trips and family science programming.
For Oracle, the sponsorship fits a broader pattern of community spending designed to smooth relations around Project Jupiter—the AI data center campus that will serve OpenAI workloads as part of the Stargate initiative with SoftBank. The company has committed $360 million in direct payments for local schools and infrastructure, plus $50 million specifically for water system upgrades addressing contamination issues in the area.
Those investments come alongside controversy. Environmental groups have raised concerns about water usage and the carbon footprint of natural gas-fired microgrids planned for the facility. Oracle has responded by emphasizing closed-loop, non-evaporative cooling systems to minimize water consumption.
The economic stakes are substantial. Oracle estimates Project Jupiter will generate roughly $384 million annually for Doña Ana County during construction, dropping to $113 million per year in direct economic output once operational.
Oracle stock traded at $139.14 on February 23, up 0.4% on the session, with market cap holding near $400 billion. The company has announced multiple New Mexico-related initiatives in recent weeks, including expanded AI data center investment on January 27 and sustainable design commitments on February 17.
Construction timelines for Dino Dig weren’t disclosed. Families interested in the project can follow developments through the Moms on Board nonprofit.
Image source: Shutterstock
