Yellowstone actor Mo Brings Plenty fights "Project Catalyst" data center in Miami County
Yellowstone actor Mo Brings Plenty is actively fighting a proposed hyper-scale data center project near his ranch in Osawatomie, Miami County, Kansas. Residents are expressing strong opposition at city council meetings, citing concerns over noise, water usage, and the broader societal impacts of AI. While the developer, Alcove Development, intends to move forward, the city has not yet received a development application, with negotiations on tax incentives and environmental mitigations anticipated.
Yellowstone actor Mo Brings Plenty has joined Miami County residents in fierce opposition to a proposed hyper-scale data center project, dubbed "Project Catalyst," near his ranch in Osawatomie, Kansas. Brings Plenty, a longtime Miami County resident, voiced concerns about the environmental impact, including noise and potential strain on the Marais Des Cygnes River, as well as the broader societal implications of artificial intelligence.
The project, spearheaded by Lawrence-based Alcove Development, initially secured a pre-development agreement in December 2025 to survey and examine 115 acres of state-acquired land. In May 2026, Alcove Development announced plans to expand the project to 283 acres, touting millions in property tax revenue for the city, county, and local school district.
However, local residents have packed recent Osawatomie City Council meetings, even when the project was not on the agenda, to express their opposition. Concerns raised by residents like Nelson Worley and Ian Day include eminent domain, quality of life impacts, proximity to a psychiatric hospital, and zoning issues. Petitions to limit the project's scope have also been submitted by neighbors like Troy Harp, though their efficacy is yet to be determined.
Osawatomie Mayor Nick Hampson acknowledged negotiations would address noise, water usage, and tax abatements, but confirmed that the city has not yet received a formal development application from Alcove Development. Brings Plenty, leveraging his platform, called for a halt to the project, urging for more concrete evidence of data centers operating without negative community impact, while also linking the rise of AI technology to increased social issues like cyber-bullying and suicide, citing his personal experience with the death of his nephew, Cole Brings Plenty.