Get the Facts: What are the pros and cons of data centers?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. —

Cheers erupted in a Meade County courtroom Tuesday after the county's magistrates voted unanimously against a proposal that would have allowed a data center to be built in the county.

It's the fourth data center proposal that has been met with heavy opposition in the WLKY area over the past six months.

So, why do data centers have such a negative connotation associated with them?

Dr. David Hein, a professor of toxicology and pharmacology at the University of Louisville, said there are both negatives and positives.

"There are different designs of data centers. The devil is in the details," Hein said.

First, Hein said, it's important to understand what a data center is. It acts as a storage unit for massive amounts of digital information. As our technological footprin