West Feliciana Parish president: We did a data center deal without NDAs. Here’s how.
West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard describes the parish’s River Bend data center partnership with Hut 8, emphasizing transparency and the absence of a nondisclosure agreement. He says Hut 8 has committed about $16 million to expand the local water system and will use closed-loop cooling to conserve water.
West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard says the parish pursued Hut 8’s River Bend data center project without requiring a nondisclosure agreement, arguing that economic development should remain transparent when public money, public land or community interests are involved. He portrays the project as a partnership between Hut 8, the parish and the state rather than simply an effort to attract a large investment.
Havard says Hut 8 has committed approximately $16 million to expand West Feliciana’s water infrastructure, which would become a parish asset without placing the construction cost on local taxpayers. He also cites Hut 8’s planned closed-loop cooling system and other water-conservation measures as examples of how the project can provide economic benefits while limiting resource consumption.