Kentucky farmers reject $26M offer for data center project

A mother and daughter in Mason County, Kentucky, have rejected a combined offer of approximately $26.48 million to sell their family farmland for a proposed hyperscale data center project.

Ida Huddleston, 82, and Delsia Bare, 54, initially agreed to the deal but withdrew after learning the land was intended to power artificial intelligence infrastructure. The offer included $48,000 per acre for Bare’s 463 acres and $60,000 per acre for Huddleston’s 71 acres. The duo, who noted the land has been in their family for nearly 200 years, cited religious and stewardship concerns for their decision.

While the developers were initially anonymous, reports suggest the project may be linked to Meta. A spokesperson for Meta stated that no decision has been made regarding moving forward with operations in the area. While the mother and daughter refused the offer, some neighboring landowners have reportedly accepted payouts to sell their properties.