Neighbors protest plans by Dale Earnhardt’s widow for $30 billion NC data center
A standing room-only crowd of about 200 neighbors Monday night protested plans by the widow of NASCAR legend Dale Earnhardt for a $30 billion data center on 399 of her rural east Mooresville acres.
“We hope you will preserve the last sliver of agricultural land in the area” and reject Teresa Earnhardt’s rezoning request, Rene Earnhardt told the Mooresville Board of Commissioners. She called Mooresville Technology Park “a monstrosity of a complex ... gobbling away resources.”
Rene Earnhardt is married to Kerry Earnhardt, Dale Earnhardt’s son who criticized the project last week on a social media site against the project.
“Frankly, I’m ashamed our family name is involved in the request to rezone a community that is thriving as a Rural Residential/Agriculture zone to be changed to Industrial,” Kerry Earhardt said on the “No to Rezoning! No to Mooresville NC Tech Park” site.
Monday was not a formal public hearing on Teresa Earnhardt’s rezoning request. Rather, commissioners voted later Monday to hold the hearing on Sept. 15.
Still, opponents packed the Town Hall meeting room in solidarity against Earnhardt’s plans. Ten spoke to the board. Nobody spoke in favor of the rezoning. Teresa Earnhardt was not present.
Teresa Earnhardt wants to put the campus on undeveloped land she owns between Patterson Farm Road and Rustic Road near Cabarrus County.
“Our health does not need to be sacrificed for the almighty dollar,” resident Lynne Taylor said, referring to what she cited as long-term, untold health effects of data centers.
“This is more suited to a more remote area, where it will not be seen or heard,” neighbor Ellen Abercrombie said.
Residents said the park would drain power and water supplies, and said they don’t believe statements to the contrary by Tract, a data center developer based in Denver, Colorado, that would develop Mooresville Technology Park.
Developer touts jobs, tax revenue
According to the Mooresville Technology Park website, the data center would “play a key role in supporting the Southeast’s digital needs.”
The park would bring 277 “recession-resistant” jobs, including 195 paying $125,000 a year, Kristin Dean of data center developer Tract has told the Mooresville Planning Board.
The data center will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for Mooresville, Iredell County and local public schools over 20 years, according to Mooresville Technology Park.com.
Residents on Monday night said nothing is worth the noise and light pollution that would impact their community.
“Patterson Farm Road is one of the last areas of true (rural) residential” in Mooresville, Kerry Pennell, who started the online protest site, told the board. “Open space, clean water, safe roads.”
This story was originally published August 5, 2025 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Neighbors protest plans by Dale Earnhardt’s widow for $30 billion NC data center."