“AI 데이터센터 부지론 안 팔아”…375억 거절한 미국 시골 모녀

A woman from a rural town in the United States, Delicia Bear, rose to prominence as a leader in the opposition to AI data centers after rejecting a $37.5 million offer to sell her family's 463-acre farm. The offer came from a big tech company, Meta, which proposed to purchase Bear's land for $48,000 per acre and her mother's 71-acre farm for $60,000 per acre, totaling $26.48 million.

Bear, who is 54, and her mother, Ida Thelstrand, 83, who is 83, had been running a farm in Kentucky for generations. Despite her vision loss due to diabetes, Bear is a firm believer in fundamentalist Christianity. The rejection of the offer has led to a division within the community and a conflict over the future of the land. The company has postponed the purchase agreement, leaving the residents without the promised millions of dollars.

The company is requesting a confidentiality agreement, preventing the residents from discussing the matter. This rural town, which has traditionally supported the Republican party in every presidential election since 1984, has become the epicenter of a strong anti-data center movement. Bear has become a central figure, receiving both praise and personal attacks.

She has also faced accusations of child abuse from the community. Meanwhile, her mother remains steadfast, stating that she would rather live on her farm and enjoy simple pleasures like coffee and meals than accept the money.