As Harford County eyes data center ban, golf course owner defends proposed AI project

Harford County, Maryland, is currently debating a proposed ban on data center development, a measure that has created a significant divide among residents. While many community members support the ban, arguing against the potential impacts of data centers on their neighborhoods, Bill Vasilakopoulos, owner of the Mountain Branch Golf Course, is pushing back. Vasilakopoulos plans to develop a "next-generation AI project," or "AI energy campus," on his 275-acre property in Joppa, which would replace the existing golf course.

Vasilakopoulos contends that his proposed facility would not be a traditional data center and would be designed to mitigate common concerns. He states the project would be visually and audibly discreet, built such that residents would not "see, hear, or smell it" from their homes or the main road. Furthermore, he claims the development would incorporate its own power supply and recirculate water, addressing environmental and utility concerns often associated with data centers. He emphasizes that the project would be entirely privately funded, with "zero taxpayer funding," and would contribute taxes and community benefits to the county and state.

Instead of a complete ban, Vasilakopoulos advocates for the county to implement "strictest safest guidelines" for data center development, including noise and water standards, to allow such facilities to coexist with residents. He asserts his willingness to abide by these regulations, stating he lives on the property and would be a neighbor to the development. A public hearing concerning the proposed data center ban in Harford County is scheduled for June.