TenKey LandCo Project Lionsgate, Franklin Data Center

Timeline from the record

Newest first. Record entries come from the filings and reports the registry cites. Coverage entries are headlines from publisher feeds we monitor daily, linked to the outlet; last checked September 14, 2026.

1. April 2026

   Proposed
   Citizens group files suit to overturn P&Z approval; TenKey's own lawsuit against Simpson County over land use ordinance ongoing Source: WKYU Public Media
2. March 2026

   Proposed
   Franklin Planning & Zoning Commission approves preliminary development plan 3-2 after two prior defeats Source: Louisville Public Media
3. 2024

   Proposed
   TenKey LandCo first approaches Franklin; city council and planning commission vote unanimously to reject proposed zoning change; project internally called Project Lionsgate/Blackjack

Opposition and litigation at this site

Yes. TenKey LandCo Project Lionsgate, Franklin Data Center in Franklin, Simpson County, Kentucky is or has been the subject of litigation over its siting, permitting, or operation. Two active lawsuits: (1) TenKey LandCo sues Simpson County in Simpson Circuit Court challenging a December 2025 county ordinance requiring conditional-use permits for data centers, arguing county lacks zoning authority inside Franklin city limits; (2) Franklin Citizens for Responsible Development sues the Franklin P&Z Commission alleging it lacked authority to approve the preliminary plan, which passed 3-2 in March 2026.

How the community has taken it

Reception is a sourced signal, not an editorial judgment: in litigation means the facility is or has been the subject of a lawsuit related to its siting, permitting, or operation.

Two active lawsuits: (1) TenKey LandCo sues Simpson County in Simpson Circuit Court challenging a December 2025 county ordinance requiring conditional-use permits for data centers, arguing county lacks zoning authority inside Franklin city limits; (2) Franklin Citizens for Responsible Development sues the Franklin P&Z Commission alleging it lacked authority to approve the preliminary plan, which passed 3-2 in March 2026. Prior unanimous rejections by Franklin city council and planning commission. End user never publicly disclosed; developer refused to reveal it without NDAs.

Source: WKYU Public Media

Notes on the record

Site: 421 Steele Road (Steele Road near Exit 2 on I-65), Franklin, Simpson County, KY. Coordinates are approximate for that I-65 exit area within Franklin city limits. Three 200,000 sq ft buildings plus on-site natural gas power generation planned. End hyperscaler not publicly identified; Simpson County Judge-Executive Mason Barnes refused to sign NDA and called the pitch full of red flags. Data center opposition became a factor in May 2026 local primary elections in Simpson County. Fix: investmentUsd corrected from $1.6B to $4.8B, LPM confirms total project is 'nearly $5 billion'; the $1.6B figure in the original record is the per-building cost (each of three 200,000 sq ft facilities costs approximately $1.6B, totaling ~$4.8B).

Other sites within 30 miles

Distances are between recorded coordinates, many of which are a city or county centroid, so treat them as approximate. Cumulative load on one utility and one aquifer is the question a planning commission rarely asks.

• Centersquare Gallatin (NAS) Campus · Gallatin · Centersquare23 mi · Operating · 100 MW
• Meta Gallatin Data Center Campus · Gallatin · Meta23 mi · Operating · 300 MW · Supported

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