Maryland activists with 25K signatures block $5B AI data center on abandoned mall site
beffjezos · x · 2026-11-10
A Maryland activist gathered over 25,000 signatures to block a $5B AI data center planned for the site of an abandoned shopping mall that closed 24 years ago.
The news drew strong reactions from AI industry figures: investor beffjezos called blocking the project "neither virtuous nor logical," arguing the site could have generated revenue and jobs while boosting America's technological competitiveness.
The episode highlights growing community-level resistance to AI data center buildouts in the US — a friction point likely to recur as compute expansion accelerates.
Related event: Maryland Activists Block $5 Billion AI Data Center With 25,000 Signatures(3 posts)→
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