By GAGE WILSON
For Glasgow News 1
Development planning documents obtained by Glasgow News 1 indicate a proposed data center project in Cave City had advanced into preliminary development review stages before the issue became the subject of intense public debate and a citywide moratorium.
Among the documents is a development plan application submitted to the Joint City-County Planning Commission of Barren County. The application identifies the project development involving the Branstetter, Hughes and Wright properties located at 2001 Doyle Avenue in Cave City. The application lists approximately 381 acres and names Kentucky Industrial Alliance, LLC as the property owner.
The preliminary application, dated May 18, 2026, identifies Pitman Green as the project surveyor and Arnold Consulting Engineers as the project engineer. The paperwork also indicates that multiple utility providers and agencies had been contacted regarding the proposed development, including Farmers Rural Electric Cooperative, Green River Valley Water District, South Central Rural Telephone Cooperative, East Kentucky Power Cooperative and planning commission staff.
The documents surfaced amid continuing questions from residents and elected officials regarding when discussions surrounding a potential data center first began and how much information was available to the public during those early stages.
Also included in the materials is a draft economic and fiscal impact analysis prepared for Cave City DataCo I, LLC. The report describes a proposed “Cave Point Commerce Center” consisting of a 10-building hyperscale data center campus spanning roughly 600 acres in Cave City and unincorporated Barren County.
According to the draft report, the campus could ultimately encompass approximately 2 million square feet of development with a projected critical capacity of 1,200 megawatts. The analysis estimates roughly 360 direct jobs, more than 900 total jobs when indirect impacts are included and billions of dollars in potential economic activity during construction.
The report also outlines assumptions regarding utility infrastructure, including a combination of on-site natural gas generation and power supplied by East Kentucky Power Cooperative, as well as a closed-loop cooling system that would reportedly utilize approximately 300,000 gallons of water per day.
However, the report repeatedly notes that the figures are planning-grade estimates intended for internal review and stakeholder discussions. Multiple disclaimers state that project assumptions, assessed values, construction costs and economic impacts would require further refinement before any final determination could be made.
The emergence of the documents comes weeks after Cave City approved a 12-month moratorium on data centers and similar information technology facilities while officials study potential regulations governing such developments.
Questions surrounding transparency have remained central to the ongoing debate. During recent council meetings, residents and council members have sought clarification regarding when discussions about a potential data center began, who participated in those conversations and whether any agreements had been reached before the public became aware of the proposal.
The development application and accompanying economic analysis do not establish that a data center will ultimately be constructed. They do, however, indicate that planning efforts had progressed beyond preliminary concept discussions and into formal development review and infrastructure coordination prior to the project’s public emergence.
Glasgow News 1 has submitted additional inquiries to local officials and planning authorities seeking clarification regarding the status of the application, whether any staff reviews were conducted and what actions, if any, have been taken on the proposal.
