Timeline of known events related to the proposed Mercer County data center project
Summer 2025
Brian Luftman posts another video from the same property. In this video he pans the camera toward the transmission towers located near the property and comments that he did not initially realize how valuable those transmission lines would be.
How we know: publicly available YouTube video..
Summer 2025
Around this same time, commercial brokerage firm JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle) begins marketing the 555-acre Handy Pike parcel as a potential data center site. The marketing materials emphasize the large acreage and the availability of nearby transmission power infrastructure.
How we know: JLL marketing materials and listing screenshots posted on LinkedIn.
Important to note: Property records show that Brian Luftman, through American Farm Investors and a number of related LLCs, owns numerous other parcels of land in Mercer County as well as surrounding counties. Many of these properties are held under different LLC names connected to AFI. Some of the LLC filings connected to these parcels list individuals who appear to have connections to Mercer County public officials or family members of public officials.
How we know: Mercer County PVA property records and Kentucky Secretary of State business filings.
December 18, 2025 – Planning & Zoning Meeting
During the Planning & Zoning meeting, commissioners discuss hiring a consultant to help the county prepare potential zoning language related to data centers. During that discussion, figures are mentioned of roughly 10 hours per week at approximately $250 per hour for several weeks, with an estimated cost in the range of about $15,000.
How we know: statements made during the public meeting.
January 31, 2026
Emails obtained show that planning had already begun for county officials to travel to Ohio to tour operating data center facilities.
How we know: emails obtained through an Open Records Request.
February 10, 2026 – Fiscal Court Meeting
During the Fiscal Court meeting, statements are made publicly that officials “don’t know anything about this” and that no one has taken a side or formed an opinion regarding the potential data center issue.
How we know: meeting recording.
February 11, 2026
Emails are circulated coordinating the Ohio data center tour. One email mentions that attendees may need to sign NDAs. Another message references that attracting a data center to a community can be a complex process “infrastructure wise and politically.”
How we know: emails obtained through Open Records Requests.
February 12, 2026
County officials travel to Ohio to tour operating data center facilities. Mileage reimbursement documentation references travel related to an “Economic Development Meeting.”
How we know: documents obtained through Open Records Requests.
February 18, 2026 – Planning & Zoning Public Meeting
A public meeting is held regarding possible data center zoning regulations. The county’s hired consultant participates via Zoom and gives a presentation related to data center development.
During this meeting, Brian Luftman, CEO of American Farm Investors (AFI) and owner of the Handy Pike parcel being marketed for a potential data center, states publicly that he approached the Judge Executive and Fiscal Court in the summer of 2025 about the property’s potential for a data center.
How we know: video recording of the public meeting.
*Also, during this meeting, the Burgin Independent School District superintendent speaks in favor of the potential data center project.
After the meeting, residents submit an Open Records Request seeking records related to the superintendent’s remarks and supporting materials used in preparing his statements. The documents returned in response to that request include materials containing visible ChatGPT branding that appear to have been used as background information for the speech.
How we know: documents obtained through Open Records Request.
February 24, 2026 – Fiscal Court Meeting
The Ohio data center tour is discussed publicly during the Fiscal Court meeting, after the trip had already taken place.
February 26, 2026
Planning & Zoning signs a document titled “Contract Extension” with Curry Roberts of Parkway Strategies related to consulting services. The document lists an effective date of January 16, 2026, meaning the agreement was written to apply retroactively. The ORR response did not include any earlier contract document that the “extension” would be extending.
How we know: document titled “Contract Extension” obtained through an Open Records Request seeking records related to Curry Roberts, including his consulting agreement with Mercer County Planning & Zoning, any payments made, and related communications.
February 2026
Residents begin submitting multiple Open Records Requests seeking documents related to the consultant hiring, the Ohio data center tour, and communications related to the potential data center project. Documents returned include internal emails, mileage reimbursement forms related to the Ohio trip, and the consulting “Contract Extension.”