A proposed artificial intelligence data center near Kings Mountain has sparked a legal battle with the city. A Miami-based developer is suing local officials over control of an 80-acre site near Interstate 85.
The company, HB2K, says the land is already approved for a massive AI data center campus. Plans call for a facility capable of supporting between 150 and 300 megawatts of power.
In a lawsuit filed last week, HB2K accuses the city of trespassing on the property. The company claims Kings Mountain is attempting to take part of the land without due process or compensation.
The dispute centers on utility infrastructure located on the site. HB2K argues the infrastructure was placed there unlawfully and is now at the center of the conflict.
The property sits adjacent to the Kings Mountain Energy Center, a location seen as strategic for high-power data operations.
The developer has promoted the project as a major technology investment. Project materials describe it as a “beacon of technological advancement and strategic foresight.”
The legal fight comes as Kings Mountain enforces a six-month moratorium on new data center developments. It remains unclear whether this project is subject to that pause.
For the region, the case highlights growing tensions around large-scale data center growth. As demand for AI infrastructure rises, so do conflicts over land use, power access, and local control.
