Woman in Kentucky rejects $26 million offer to turn family farm into a data center

Ida Huddleston, an 82-year-old farmer from Maysville, Kentucky, and her family have rejected a $26 million offer from an anonymous artificial intelligence company to purchase 1,200 acres of their ancestral farmland for a proposed data center. Huddleston and her daughter, Delsia Bare, who co-own the land, expressed deep concerns about the potential environmental impact, specifically referencing recent reports of water shortages and ground contamination associated with data centers. Despite the significant financial offer, the family emphasized their strong generational ties to the land, which has been in their possession for years and supported them through difficult times like the Depression. Huddleston also voiced skepticism about the data center's ability to deliver economic growth or jobs to Mason County, labeling the entire proposal as a "scam." Following the family's refusal, the unnamed AI company reportedly revised its plans. It has since filed a zoning request to rezone over 2,000 acres in northern Kentucky, indicating that the firm may still proceed with building a data center adjacent to Huddleston's property. This local development comes amidst a broader industry trend where major tech companies, including Meta, Amazon, OpenAI, and Google, are rapidly expanding data center infrastructure to meet the demands of artificial intelligence, often facing criticism for their substantial energy and water consumption.