Texas farmer's $10 parkland donation sold by city for $10M data center development
By
Mark Tyson
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
In 1999, a farmer donated 87 acres of land in Taylor, Texas, to the city for $10 with a deed stipulating it be used as community parkland. In 2025, the city sold the land for $10 million to a data center developer, sparking legal battles with residents who are trying to stop the construction. The developer has won initial legal challenges, and locals are now pursuing an appeal. The city expects $30 million in tax revenue over the next decade from the development.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledBack in 1999, 87 acres of land in Taylor, Texas, was donated (nominal fee $10) to the city by a farmer, with a condition in the deed that it would be used for community parkland.
In 2025, the land was sold for $10M to a data center developer, who has won several legal battles against the nearby residents who are trying to stop the massive construction project.
Now, the disgruntled locals are planning to take their case to an appeals court.
You might also wanna read
Data center boom strains Texas homebuilders' need for electricians
Texas is experiencing a housing crisis exacerbated by the booming data center industry, which is poaching skilled electricians from homebuil
The Texas Tribune·1mo ago
Community Activists Successfully Stop Data Center Development Near Homes in Monterey Park
Community activists in Monterey Park successfully organized to stop a 250,000-square-foot data center from being built just 500 feet from th
lataco.com·1mo ago
SpaceX plans $55 billion AI chip manufacturing plant in Texas, could reach $119 billion
SpaceX is planning to invest at least $55 billion into a new "Terafab" AI chip manufacturing plant in Austin, Texas, with potential expansio
The Verge·1mo ago
Meta spends $6.4 million on ad campaign to promote data center construction amid public backlash
Meta spent $6.4 million on an advertising campaign in late 2025 to promote public acceptance of data center construction. The campaign featu
The Verge·4mo ago
Georgia Data Center Used 29 Million Gallons of Water Through Unbilled Meters, Causing Resident Pressure Drops
A Blackstone-owned QTS data center campus in Fayetteville, Georgia, drew 29 million gallons of municipal water through unbilled meters that
thecoolingreport.com·2mo ago
Meta Invests $10 Billion in Louisiana AI Data Center Requiring Massive Gas-Fired Power Expansion
Meta (Facebook's parent company) is investing $10 billion to build a massive AI data center in rural Richland Parish, Louisiana, requiring e
fortune.com·9mo ago