Data Center Census

Oldham County, KY

Project Lincoln

Also known as Western Hospitality Partners Oldham County data center

CancelledDeveloper withdrew July 2025; county has no adopted data center regulations (Fiscal Court denied revised rules 5-4 on Aug. 18, 2026) and whether the moratorium is still in effect is disputed
  1. Rumored
  2. Proposed
  3. Approved
  4. Under construction
  5. Operating
  6. Cancelled

Western Hospitality Partners proposed a 600 MW, $6 billion hyperscale data center on 267 acres at 3557 North Highway 53 in Oldham County, later revising it to a smaller proposal near the Sauerbeck Drive-In off Commerce Parkway. After strong resident opposition and a 150-day countywide moratorium with no exemptions, the company withdrew in July 2025. The county has not adopted data center regulations: the Fiscal Court sent draft rules back in January 2026 and, on Aug. 18, 2026, voted 5-4 to deny a revised version and hire a consultant. Judge-Executive David Voegele says the moratorium has effectively expired, a view some magistrates dispute.

Key facts

Size & schedule

Planned capacity600 MW [1]
original proposal; revised proposal reported as 100 MW
Site size267 acres [2]
original site at 3557 North Highway 53
Stated investment$6 billion [2]
original proposal; revised proposal reported at $1.5 billion

Local decisions & site

ZoningOriginal 267-acre site zoned for agriculture; developer sought a conditional use permit as a "private utility" from the appointed Board of Adjustments rather than a rezoning by the Fiscal Court. The revised Sauerbeck Drive-In site was described by the Judge-Executive as zoned industrial, while the county PVA website listed it as commercial. [9]
Source excerpt
“He added that the company would go through the same local process of seeking a conditional use permit as a "private utility," which could be approved by the appointed board of adjustments.”
Parcel / addressRevised site: 3210 DW Griffith Lane (former Sauerbeck Drive-in theater), along Commerce Parkway [10]
address reported by news, not a government document
Source excerpt
“WHP has instead submitted a new application for a smaller data center along Commerce Parkway at the site of the Sauerbeck Drive-in theater located at 3210 DW Griffith Lane.”

Figures are as stated by the cited source. Where sources disagree, each figure is shown.

Timeline

  1. Western Hospitality Partners' 600 MW data center proposal announced [1]

  2. Original application withdrawn; revised proposal filed south of original site [2]

  3. Fiscal Court passes 150-day moratorium on data centers 4-2 with no exemptions; Deputy Judge-Executive Joe Ender fired over secret recording [1]

  4. Western Hospitality Partners says project will be withdrawn and will not proceed [3]

  5. Fiscal Court approves new moratorium lasting until regulations are approved [5]

  6. Fiscal Court unanimously denies draft data center regulations, sending them back to Planning and Zoning Commission [6]

  7. Planning Commission reworking regulations; moratorium remains in effect [4]

  8. Planning and Zoning Commission unanimously sends revised data center regulations to Fiscal Court [7]

  9. Fiscal Court votes 5-4 to deny revised data center regulations and hire a consultant; Judge-Executive calls Aug. 24 special meeting for a new first reading [8]

Issues raised

  • Former deputy judge-executive's attorney alleged favoritism tied to a promised sports complex; Kentucky Attorney General opened an investigation [1]
  • Residents organized as We Are Oldham County raised utility and community concerns [1][3]

Sources

  1. Oldham County passes sweeping data center moratorium, executive fired over recording
    Louisville Public Media · Jul 2, 2025 · news
  2. Kentucky's Oldham County passes 150-day data center moratorium
    DatacenterDynamics · Jul 14, 2025 · news
  3. Plans for Oldham County data center project withdrawn
    WAVE / WDRB · Jul 3, 2025 · news
  4. Leaders rework proposed zoning regulations as fight over data centers continues in Oldham Co.
    WAVE / WDRB · Mar 25, 2026 · news
  5. Court halts data center development until regulations ready
    The Oldham Era · news
  6. Court sends data center regulations back for revision
    The Oldham Era · news
  7. P&Z sends revised data center regulations to fiscal court
    The Oldham Era · Jun 29, 2026 · news
  8. Oldham leaders in dispute over data center regulations
    The Oldham Era · Aug 24, 2026 · news
  9. Oldham County data center switches sites, reduces size amid local resistance
    Louisville Public Media · Jun 3, 2025 · news
  10. Planned data center project in Kentucky's Oldham County relocated and downsized amid backlash
    DatacenterDynamics · Jun 10, 2025 · news