Kentucky Family Rejects $26 Million Data Center Offer, Files Lawsuit After Rezoning Approval
A Kentucky mother and daughter in Mason County rejected a $26 million offer from developers, believed to be linked to Meta, for their 1,200-acre family farm for a hyperscale data center project. Despite the Mason County Fiscal Court approving rezoning for over 2,000 acres, the daughter has filed a lawsuit to block the project, citing concerns about its impact on power, gas, and local water supply.
Ida Huddleston, 82, and her daughter, Delsia Bare, 54, have gained national attention for refusing a $26 million offer from developers to purchase their 1,200-acre family farm in Mason County, Kentucky. The land was sought for a massive 2.2-gigawatt hyperscale data center project.
Initially, the duo agreed to sell but backed out after learning the land's intended use. The company behind the proposed data center has been linked to Meta, though a Meta spokesman stated no final decision has been made for development in the area. Despite the family's refusal, the developers proceeded with plans, and the Mason County Fiscal Court approved the rezoning of over 2,000 nearby acres in May.
Delsia Bare subsequently filed a lawsuit to halt the data center project, expressing concerns about its potential impact on the community, including new power and gas lines, and pressure on local water supplies. County officials argue the project would fully fund necessary infrastructure and create 400 permanent, six-figure jobs, but Huddleston remains skeptical, calling it a "scam."
The mother and daughter, who call themselves "country hicks," are motivated by a desire to preserve their family's nearly 200-year legacy of farming and a belief that artificial intelligence could lead to the "destruction of the human race," vowing to continue their fight against the development.