Kings Mountain Couple Regrets Land Sale for Data Center Project Amid Moratorium and Lawsuit
A Kings Mountain couple expresses regret over selling their family land for what turned out to be an AI data center campus, believing it was for residential development. The developer, HB2K, is involved in a lawsuit against the city over utilities, while the city recently enacted a data center moratorium.
Roxanne and Tony Wright, a Kings Mountain couple, are experiencing seller's remorse after selling their family land three years ago to Honey Badger Development, operating locally as HB2K. The Wrights initially believed the property, held by their family for over 40 years, would be developed for residential housing, only to discover it is intended for an AI data center campus.
Honey Badger Development, an LLC with a Miami, Florida mailing address, filed a lawsuit this year against the City of Kings Mountain regarding utilities. Court documents from this lawsuit state that the property is "fully entitled as an AI data center campus with approved zoning and 150MW-300MW power pathway." The developer's website reportedly became unavailable after Queen City News reported on the lawsuit last month.
Kings Mountain leaders recently enacted a data center moratorium, though it is unclear if this applies to the specific HB2K project. Tony Wright noted that no development progress has occurred since the 2023 sale. The couple maintains ownership of a small family cemetery on their remaining property, vowing not to sell it.