Media barred from Botetourt County data center town hall on Google projects
A Botetourt County Board of Supervisors member held a town hall meeting about Google data centers, but restricted media access. Residents expressed skepticism regarding Google's claims about water and electricity usage, citing a lack of verifiable contract details.
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors member Tim Snyder hosted a town hall meeting at the VFW Post 1841 in Daleville for residents of the Amsterdam district, focusing entirely on Google data centers. Despite advertising the event as public on Facebook, Snyder and other county officials denied access to WSLS 10 news cameras and other media, citing space constraints and a desire to prioritize district residents.
The meeting, which began at 7:00 PM, included a 30-minute presentation by Google representatives, followed by a 90-minute question and answer session. Residents leaving the town hall expressed skepticism and dissatisfaction with the information provided. One resident stated they were "not sold on them being a benefit for our community at all in the long run." Another raised concerns about the verifiability of Google's claims regarding reduced water usage and electricity payments, noting that these assurances often don't align with actual contracts. The resident concluded, "it's kind of left up to us to whether or not you trust them. And I I don't."