Hopkinsville Mayor talks data centers, gas prices and road aid funds
Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight revealed that two data center companies have expressed interest in the Hopkinsville area. The city's Community Development Services is working on zoning and guidelines for data centers, despite the mayor's personal lack of interest due to low perceived return on investment. The decision on data center development will fall to the next mayor and city council.
Hopkinsville Mayor J.R. Knight recently addressed local data center prospects during an interview with WHOP Radio. He disclosed that representatives from two unnamed data center companies have shown interest in the Hopkinsville area of Kentucky. This comes as the data center industry expands, increasingly eyeing Kentucky after establishing a presence in neighboring Tennessee.
In preparation for potential development, Hopkinsville's Community Development Services is actively working on establishing zoning and regulatory guidelines for data centers. However, Mayor Knight expressed his personal disinterest in attracting data centers, citing a low return on investment for the city due to their resource-intensive nature and minimal job creation. He believes that the decision regarding future data center development will ultimately be made by the subsequent mayoral administration and the Hopkinsville City Council.
The discussion also touched upon Governor Andy Beshear's executive order to reduce the state's gas tax, which Mayor Knight opted not to extend for Hopkinsville to preserve Municipal Road Aid funds for infrastructure, a decision he made in conjunction with Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam.