North Carolina Residents Say They Were Misled About Data Center Campus

July 19, 2026 - 19:11

A planned development in North Carolina has sparked outrage among local residents who say they were promised a business park but are now facing a massive data center campus instead. The project, which has been in the works for months, has left many feeling deceived by developers and local officials.

"We as citizens feel like we were snookered a bit," one resident told reporters during a recent community meeting. The sentiment was echoed by dozens of others who attended the gathering, many of whom expressed frustration over what they described as a bait-and-switch. Initial proposals for the site suggested a mix of office buildings, retail spaces, and light industrial facilities that would create jobs and boost the local economy. Instead, plans now show rows of windowless data centers, backup generators, and cooling towers.

Residents worry about noise pollution from constant generator testing, increased traffic from construction vehicles, and potential strain on the local power grid. Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity and water for cooling, which has raised environmental concerns in a region already dealing with growth pressures. Some homeowners fear their property values could drop.

Local officials have defended the project, saying data centers are a form of business park and that the development meets zoning requirements. But critics argue that the scale and purpose are fundamentally different from what was originally presented. The county planning board is now facing calls to hold additional public hearings before any permits are approved. For now, the community remains divided, with some residents vowing to fight the project through legal channels if necessary.