Kentucky family rejects $26M offer for farm land over ‘poison’ data center
A Kentucky family has refused a substantial $26 million offer for their farmland. The anonymous company wanted to build a large AI data center on their property. The family prioritizes protecting farmland and food resources over financial gain. Generations have farmed this land, contributing to national food supplies. Other landowners nearby have reportedly agreed to sell their properties.
A Kentucky family has reportedly turned down a $26 million offer from an undisclosed company to develop an AI data center on part of their farmland. According to WKRC, land owner Ida Huddleston and her family were presented with the significant proposal, but ultimately rejected it. The land, which has been owned and farmed by the Huddleston family for generations, was offered for acquisition by an AI company believed to be a major industry player.
However, Huddleston firmly stated that protecting farmland, food, and natural resources holds a greater importance than the substantial monetary offer.
The Huddleston family owns approximately 1,200 acres of farmland in Mason County, Northern Kentucky. The AI company aimed to purchase roughly half of the property to construct a substantial data center. The company's offer was far higher than the typical local land value; farmland in Mason County usually sells for around $6,000 per acre. However, the company proposed $26 million, which is nearly ten times the local land value for the specific land they wished to acquire.
The family's rejection of the offer is rooted in their deep connection to the property, extending beyond its monetary value. Huddleston's daughter, Delsia Bare, shared that multiple generations of their family have farmed the land, providing food for others and contributing to the nation's sustenance, even during the Great Depression. Bare emphasized that the land continues to feed a nation, and the sum of $26 million holds no significance in comparison.
The push for AI data centers is growing as technology companies rapidly expand their infrastructure across the US. However, the development of these centers has sparked opposition in some communities due to their potential impact on local power grids, water supplies, and surrounding land. The company that approached the Huddleston family has not been named, but it has reportedly made similar offers to other landowners in the area.
Bare mentioned that some nearby property owners have agreed to sell their land, indicating that the Huddleston family's refusal to accept the $26 million offer does not prevent the company from potentially constructing its AI data center in the vicinity.
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