Last time I wrote to you all, I shared that this year’s Roadshow topic is “At the Data Center Crossroads.” AI data centers have become a kitchen table issue – especially in the small towns and rural counties where data center developers are locking up hundreds of acres of potential data center sites. Like any technology, they can be good or bad depending on our intentions. And to that point, we need to come together for some hard conversations about their impact on land, power, local economies, and quality of life for generations to come.
Given the topic, and the work ahead, we carefully considered where the Roadshow should travel to this year. We wanted to invite you all to a place that is warmly welcoming, showcasing the kind of small town quality of life we all love. A place with grit and hustle that knows what it means to rebuild. And a place that’s facing the same hard questions about energy, water, land, and AI that we’ll be wrestling with at the Roadshow.
My friends, that is why I am delighted to share that we’ll be hosting this year’s Rural Renaissance Roadshow on the banks of the Tennessee River in Decatur, Alabama, at the Cook Museum of Natural Science.
Decatur is about halfway in between Huntsville, Alabama and Muscle Shoals, which places it smack dab in the center of AI leadership and public power. Huntsville is home to FBI’s cybersecurity command, Redstone Arsenal, NASA, and Space Force – all of which are shaping the decisions our country is making about the direction of AI. And Muscle Shoals is the home of Wilson Dam and the birthplace of the TVA, which was created to electrify rural America with affordable power. The region’s rich access to energy and water is saturating it with new data enter developments, including the controversial xAI Colossus just three-hours away in Memphis.
Decatur, Alabama, is also beautiful. With a walkable riverfront, a nearby 35,000-acre wildlife refuge, and a storied historic district – Decatur has many treasures to offer its visitors.
Among these local gems is the Cook Museum of Natural Science, which is where we’ll convene. With a motto that “life is amazing,” the Cook Museum was founded by John Cook, Sr. who, in 1968, first shared his professional insect collection with the public. Today, the museum is a state-of-the-art institution with an abundance of immersive experiences that teach people to understand and love our amazing world.
I hope you’ll join us there. We need your wisdom and your voice this year as we tackle if – and if so, how – data centers can be a part of a rural renaissance.
With gratitude,
L. Michelle Moore
CEO, Groundswell
Michelle is author of “Rural Renaissance,” CEO of Groundswell, and a former board member of the Tennessee Valley Authority, the nation’s largest public power utility. Her work is rooted in her faith and the commandment to “love your neighbor as yourself.”
