Rick Jackson, Keisha Lance Bottoms go back and forth on data centers in debate
During a Georgia town hall debate, Keisha Lance Bottoms called for pausing all new data center construction until the state develops a broader policy, citing community concerns and limits on eminent domain. Rick Jackson disputed her claims about data center investments and criticized her record as Atlanta mayor, saying the city approved three data centers and provided $400 million in tax benefits.
Keisha Lance Bottoms and Rick Jackson clashed over data center development during a Georgia town hall debate. Bottoms accused Jackson of investing in companies that build data centers and pointed to opposition in Bowie, Texas, where residents are seeking to stop a proposed facility. She called for a pause on new construction across Georgia until officials establish a policy that better serves communities and said eminent domain should be reserved for extreme circumstances.
Jackson denied owning or investing in four data centers and challenged Bottoms' record as Atlanta mayor. He said Atlanta approved three data centers without restrictions and provided $400 million in tax benefits. Bottoms responded that she was referring only to a Georgia Tech project that included a data center component, was not a hyperscale facility in a residential neighborhood, and generated 4,200 jobs for Atlanta.