When David Hickok first moved to the Smithville area north of Kansas City over 10 years ago, he never would have guessed an influx of massive data centers nearby would someday be the reason he considered leaving for good.
But after Meta, the parent company of Facebook, opened the doors to its massive data center at the intersection of Interstate 435 and U.S. 169, Hickok began worrying about how it would impact his life — and specifically, his electricity bill.
“If we’re going to sell, we’re leaving here. We’re getting out of Clay County. We’re gone,” said Hickok, who is retired from the military…