Farmers Turned Down $26 Million Offer To Sell Land For Data Center

Ida Huddleston, 82, and her daughter Delsia Bare, owners of approximately 1,200 acres of prime agricultural land in Northern Kentucky, have rejected a $26 million offer from an undisclosed Fortune 100 company seeking to develop a data center. The offer, which included $4.26 million for Huddleston's 71 acres and $22.24 million for Bare's 463 acres (totaling $26.5 million), was deemed insufficient by the family, who have farmed the land for generations. Huddleston described the repeated attempts to acquire their property as "mind harassment." The family expressed deep distrust of the unnamed tech giant, which they believe has a "hidden agenda" due to its refusal to publicly identify itself. While the company promised 400 full-time and over 1,500 construction jobs, Bare disputes the long-term employment claims, stating, "You won't have over 50 and they won't even be here at this building when it's said and done. I say they're liars and the truth isn't in them. It's a scam." Despite their refusal, developers have reportedly secured deals with other landowners and initiated zoning requests to rezone more than 2,000 acres of agricultural land for the project. The video highlighted broader concerns regarding data centers, noting that AI facilities can consume significant electricity, comparable to a mid-sized city, and vast amounts of water for cooling. Projections indicate US data centers could account for 6.7% to 12% of the nation's total electricity by 2028, up from 4.4% in 2023, alongside concerns about the permanent loss of productive farmland.