Carroll County residents demand transparency regarding data center
An ethics investigation has been launched in Carroll County, Kentucky, focusing on a proposed 550-acre data campus. Residents are demanding transparency from city officials regarding the timeline and details of the project, including a deal made with developer Poe Companies a year before public acknowledgment. The Carroll County Ethics Commission is requesting communication records from city officials and developers.
An ethics investigation has commenced in Carroll County, Kentucky, concerning a proposed 550-acre data center campus located at Greens Bottom Road. The inquiry was initiated by the Carroll County Ethics Commission, led by member Zach Spencer, following formal ethical complaints filed by residents such as Amy Wright and Laura Beth Austin. Residents have expressed frustration and a sense of being "stonewalled" by local officials regarding the project's details.
The core of the complaints revolves around a lack of transparency and communication from the city of Carrollton. WHAS 11 previously reported that the city granted developer Poe Companies exclusive rights to purchase the land in July 2025, approximately a year before Mayor Rob Adams publicly acknowledged the data center project. Residents have filed open records requests, but claim information has been missing or incomplete.
In response to the ethics commission's demands, Mayor Adams has been given five days to provide a comprehensive communication timeline, including emails, texts, letters, meeting logs, and calendar invites between representatives of the city of Carrollton, including the mayor, and representatives, brokers, and attorneys for Poe Companies, Powerhouse Data Centers, and American Real Estate Partners. The city attorney maintains that the city has followed all laws concerning the Greensbottom property and open records requests.