Digital Realty offers Kansas town residents up to $10,000 each to ease data center pushback
Digital Realty is offering households in De Soto, Kansas, $1,000 a year for a decade through a $20 million community fund to counter opposition to its planned 1,400-acre data center campus.
Digital Realty is offering households in De Soto, Kansas, $1,000 annually for 10 years to soften community opposition to a proposed 1,400-acre data center campus, according to reporting by Bloomberg. The payments, totaling $10,000 per household, would be financed through a $20 million community investment fund and could be distributed as credits on property taxes or utility bills.[1][2][5][7]
The developer and city officials are working to finalize details of the project in De Soto, a town of approximately 7,000 residents where the fund would cover roughly 2,000 households. The company stated that the campus will deliver recurring tax revenue, create jobs, and offer broader economic benefits to the local community.[1][2][4][6]
However, the proposal faces resistance from nearby residents concerned about noise, water consumption, and surging electricity costs associated with the facility. While the developer aims to secure local support amid rapid infrastructure growth, some community members have pushed back against the financial incentive, calling the annual credits a bribe rather than a community benefit.[3][7]
Key facts
- Digital Realty is offering households in De Soto, Kansas, $1,000 annually for 10 years to ease opposition to its planned data center.
- The payments would come from a $20 million community investment fund, enough to cover about 2,000 households.
- The credits could be applied directly to residents' property taxes or utility bills.
- The planned data center campus spans 1,400 acres in De Soto, a town with roughly 7,000 residents.
- Local residents have raised concerns regarding electricity costs, water usage, and noise, with some calling the payment offer a bribe.
- Digital Realty stated the project will deliver recurring tax revenue, job creation, and other economic benefits to the community.
Sources · 6 sources
- EV
Evan@StockMKTNewzPost on X ·
DATA CENTER OFFER EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN A KANSAS TOWN $1,000 A YEAR FOR 10 YEARS Digital Realty $DLR is paying the money to residents of De Soto, Kansas, near its planned 1,400-acre data center, per Bloomberg. - Paid from a $20M community fund - Could come as credits on property taxes or utility bills - De Soto has about 7,000 residents
Open source - UW
unusual_whales@unusual_whalesPost on X ·
BREAKING: A data center developer is offering residents $10,000 each to win them over. Digital Realty, $DLR, is offering households in De Soto, Kansas, $1,000 a year for 10 years to ease opposition to its planned 1,400-acre data center. The money would come from a $20 million community fund, possibly paid out as property tax or utility bill credits. That’s enough to cover about 2,000 households.
Open source - QU
Quartz@qzPost on X ·
A data center is offering Kansas neighbors $1,000/year. They're not buying it. Digital Realty is dangling $1,000 annual credits to households near its planned De Soto, Kansas campus — but some residents are calling it a bribe, not a bene #DigitalRealty #DeSotoKansas #DataCenter https://t.co/TGUtaHDmqp
Open source - CN
CBS News@CBSNewsPost on X ·
A data center developer is offering every household in De Soto, Kansas, where it plans to build, $1,000 in utility and property tax credits for 10 years. The company said the project, which will eventually cover 1,400 acres, will provide recurring tax revenue, create jobs and deliver other economic benefits to local residents. https://t.co/3ybssnqWkT
Open source - BL
Bloomberg@businessPost on X ·
One data center developer has a unique plan to squash pushback from community residents in Kansas: Give them $1,000 a year for the next decade https://t.co/5nmZfMlD5g
Open source - QU
Quartz@qzPost on X ·
A Kansas data center developer is offering neighbors $1,000 a year to win approval: The $20 million community program accompanies a planned data center campus as the company and city work to finalize details dlvr.it/TVw7xg https://t.co/yXi3cQ5gcl
Open source - *B
*Walter Bloomberg@DeItaonePost on X ·
DATA CENTER DEVELOPER OFFERS RESIDENTS $10,000 EACH TO EASE AI EXPANSION BACKLASH Digital Realty ($DLR ) is offering households in De Soto, Kansas, $1,000 annually for 10 years to ease opposition to its planned 1,400-acre data center. The payments would come from a $20 million community investment fund, potentially through property tax or utility bill credits. Residents have raised concerns about electricity costs, water consumption and noise. The bigger picture: As AI infrastructure expands, data center developers are increasingly offering financial incentives to win local community support.
Open source