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Developers racing to build AI data centers are getting creative. NorthPoint Development told every one of the 4,500 households in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, that each will get a $10,000 check if the town lets it build a data center, according to The Wall Street Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n The $45 million payout is part of a 15-building project on 1,300 acres in the Pocono foothills, on top of $120 million NorthPoint plans to spend on community investments over 15 years. The developer\u2019s letters said residents could spend it on \u201creally whatever you want.\u201d <\/p>\n But many locals aren\u2019t buying what they\u2019re selling. Jeff Fasnacht, a retired teacher who lives near the site, said the check won\u2019t make up for the hit to his home because \u201cit\u2019s going to tank my property value.\u201d Others worry about construction noise and a lack of transparency, and some see the offer as a bribe. Still, the cash is tempting in a town with a median household income around $60,000. In nearby Salem Township, families made millions selling their land to data centers.<\/p>\n The project\u2019s fate is uncertain. The township rejected it on zoning grounds, NorthPoint sued and a temporary moratorium on data-center construction is now in place.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Developers racing to build AI data centers are getting creative. NorthPoint Development told every one of the 4,500 households in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, that each will get a $10,000 check if the town lets it build a data center, according to The Wall Street Journal<\/a>.<\/p>\n The $45 million payout is part of a 15-building project on 1,300 acres in the Pocono foothills, on top of $120 million NorthPoint plans to spend on community investments over 15 years. The developer\u2019s letters said residents could spend it on \u201creally whatever you want.\u201d <\/p>\n But many locals aren\u2019t buying what they\u2019re selling. Jeff Fasnacht, a retired teacher who lives near the site, said the check won\u2019t make up for the hit to his home because \u201cit\u2019s going to tank my property value.\u201d Others worry about construction noise and a lack of transparency, and some see the offer as a bribe. Still, the cash is tempting in a town with a median household income around $60,000. In nearby Salem Township, families made millions selling their land to data centers.<\/p>\n The project\u2019s fate is uncertain. The township rejected it on zoning grounds, NorthPoint sued and a temporary moratorium on data-center construction is now in place.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n