A data center developer has promised $10,000 to every household in Hazle Township, Pennsylvania, if residents allow it to build its first of 15 planned buildings on 1,300 acres in the Pocono foothills. The offer to 4,500 households totals a $45 million payout.

The developer, NorthPoint Development, began sending the letters in June. The idea came from its chief marketing officer Brent Miles after a raucous public meeting where residents asked what they stood to gain, according to reports.

Most residents interviewed appear unimpressed. Hazle Township’s median household income is about $60,000, and few residents told the Wall Street Journal they were eager to accept, citing noise, property values and distrust. One resident said $10,000 would not match how much the project could tank property values.

The developer has separately pledged $120 million in community support over 15 years, including police funding, and has sponsored amusement rides at a local Italian festival. Direct cash payments to residents mark a new phase of the AI build-out, according to industry reporting.

Context: as data-center developers compete for land and power, the Hazle Township fight shows how community deals are moving from vague promises to hard cash.