Piedmont City Council approves spending money on data center trip

The Piedmont City Council in Oklahoma recently approved expenditures for city leaders to travel to Atlanta, Georgia, to tour a data center. This decision comes amidst major backlash from Piedmont residents concerned about potential water and energy usage if a data center is built in their community. The developer, Beltline Holdings, which has filed an application to build a data center in Piedmont, invited city leaders for the tour of a similar facility in Atlanta. This vote in Piedmont follows a similar contentious meeting in Luther, Oklahoma, where that town's Board of Trustees ultimately voted against sending their leaders on a data center tour. Unlike Luther, all but one member of the Piedmont City Council voted in favor of the trip, with Piedmont's mayor criticizing Luther's decision, emphasizing the importance of due diligence. Council members stated the trip is essential for understanding what their city is "up against" and to gather information to draft appropriate ordinances and resolutions. While Beltline Holdings initially offered to cover all travel expenses, the City Council voted to pay for the trip themselves to ensure transparency. Concerns were raised by a dissenting council member, similar to those in Luther, arguing that the city should wait until the developer has more concrete plans.