Farmers turn down multimillion dollar buyouts as data centers hunt rural land
Feb 24th 2026
Across the US, landowners have declined offers worth tens of millions as tech firms target rural sites for data centers, citing attachment to land and opaque buying tactics.
- Tech companies and middlemen are offering large sums for rural acreage to site data centers that power AI.
- Demand for data centers is projected to rise about 165 percent by 2030, with Hines Research estimating 40,000 acres needed globally over five years.
- Several farmers have rejected offers that dwarf their property values, saying the land has value beyond money.
- Buyers often approach owners through intermediaries and require nondisclosure agreements, leaving residents unsure who is bidding and how the land would be used.
- Refusals by landowners have frustrated or delayed planned data center projects in multiple rural communities