Updated 1 day ago on . Most recent reply
Why Kentucky is about to get BIG in Data Center
Kentucky is quietly lining up to become one of the most important data-center states in the country—and it’s happening faster than most people realize.
For years, hyperscale data centers clustered in a handful of obvious places: Northern Virginia, parts of Ohio, Iowa, Arizona. That model is straining. AI workloads are exploding, cloud demand keeps compounding, and the old hubs are running into land constraints, grid congestion, rising costs, and growing community resistance.
Kentucky suddenly checks a lot of boxes.
The clearest signal is Louisville’s first hyperscale campus—an $11+ billion investment led by PowerHouse Data Centers in partnership with Poe Companies. An up-to-525-megawatt project isn’t speculative. That kind of capital only moves when long-term demand is already locked in.
At the state level, the Kentucky General Assembly finally aligned incentives with reality by expanding sales-and-use tax exemptions for data-center equipment statewide. That single move pushed Kentucky from “interesting” to “competitive” almost overnight and put it firmly on the radar of major global operators.
Utilities are another quiet tell. LG&E and KU are already planning for large future loads, with data-center projects in discussion across dozens of counties. Utilities don’t invest billions ahead of demand unless they’re confident the demand is real.
When you step back and look at the fundamentals, Kentucky is stronger than people give it credit for. We’re centrally located, within a day’s drive of most of the U.S. population. We’re surrounded by roughly 70% of the nation’s inland water access when you factor in river systems. We sit on major logistics and shipping corridors. We just added another significant commercial rail line out west. Land is still attainable. Power is expandable. And many rural communities are open to adding new water and energy infrastructure when it’s done thoughtfully.
That’s why this moment matters. Not every market is looking rosy right now. Kentucky is. And I believe rural America—especially places with land, water access, infrastructure, and a willingness to build intelligently—is about to have a real come-up over the next decade!
I’ve genuinely enjoyed every conversation with people who’ve reached out lately—whether it was about business, land, ideas, or where they think the future is headed. I’d love for you to be one of those people. My booking link is in this email.
I’m extremely excited about the future of Kentucky energy and data infrastructure. Life is good for Kentucky.
Interest rates sitting at 6.03%. Inventory is sitting at 3,260. Both trending down.
Make it a phe-nomenal week!
PS: A good friend of mine is actively looking for land as part of a 1031 exchange, so timing matters. Ideally 100 acres or more with a river, creek, and/or pond. Open to locations across Kentucky, with a preference for the Lake Cumberland, Barren River, and Elizabethtown corridors. Target budget is around $500,000, with flexibility to go higher with owner financing. A portion of the land should be cattle-friendly, and we’re looking to avoid steep, mountainous terrain.