Dispute over Meta data center appraisal delays Belton budget presentation, officials say
A dispute over the appraisal of new construction at Meta's data center in Temple has caused Belton officials to postpone their budget presentation. The disagreement involves Meta's tax representative, Ryan LLC, and the Bell County appraisal firm, Capitol Appraisal Group, concerning the provision of necessary information for property valuation. This delay impacts local budget planning due to the significant value of the industrial property.
Belton, Texas - A dispute regarding the appraisal of new construction at Meta's data center in Temple has led to the postponement of Belton's formal budget presentation. Belton City Council deferred the budget assessment until August, citing the need for updated appraisal data following corrections to high-value industrial properties.
Bell County Chief Appraiser Billy White and Gregg Davis, President of Capitol Appraisal Group, the firm contracted for industrial property valuations, confirmed discrepancies. White stated the district initially undervalued some industrial properties by between $100 million and $400 million due to a lack of information from property owners. Davis explained that his firm relies heavily on taxpayer cooperation, especially for complex facilities like data centers, and claimed Meta's tax representative, Ryan LLC, was uncooperative in providing detailed asset listings and site access.
Davis asserted that Ryan LLC provided a property value but withheld supporting documentation, and that the City of Temple declined to share records. However, City Manager Brynn Myers disputed this, stating the city never refused records and had no record of a public information request. Meta spokesperson Francis Brennan echoed Myers' account, stating Meta was prepared to provide documentation but never received a formal request or site visit schedule from Capitol Appraisal Group, despite an unannounced visit attempt. Brennan also noted that Building 1 was still under construction as of the appraisal date, requiring coordinated access with security.
After an eventual meeting involving Ryan LLC, Capitol, and city officials, Davis confirmed that Ryan LLC provided enough information for Capitol Appraisal Group to issue a corrected supplemental value. Davis criticized Meta's and Ryan LLC's conduct, calling them "uncooperative in every area" and stating such resistance was unique among the more than half-dozen data centers his firm appraises across Texas.