Dale Earnhardt Sr.'s Widow Got Big News On Wednesday

The wife of one of NASCAR's most enduring icons received major news this week.

Planners in Mooresville, North Carolina approved a major data center for 400 wooded acres owned by Teresa Earnhardt, widow of Dale Earnhardt Sr.

Earnhardt plans to use the land for a "Mooresville Technology Park". Websites for the planned park say that it will “play a key role in supporting the Southeast's digital needs."

During a presentation to the board, data center developer Kristin Dean explained the economic impact the plan would have on the immediate area.

Dean says that the park would create 277 "recession-resistant" jobs, with 195 of them paying over $125,000 annually. The plan is estimated to "generate hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue for Mooresville, Iredell County and local public schools over 20 years."

During her presentation to the city's planning board, Dean stressed that the financial impact would be "in the multiple billions of dollars."

Some local residents spoke out against the plan, citing different concerns. Residents expressed concern about noise generated by what will essentially serve as a massive series of server farms.

Mooresville director of planning and community development Erika Martin looked to address those concerns, noting that the noise ordinance around the project was "very flexible." 

The first building in the park is expected to be finished in 2029, giving the city time to prepare residents for what is to come in terms of construction and the aftermath. New zoning laws would separate the park from other properties by at least 100 feet, and Dean says that one-third of the park will remain undeveloped.