I think the point is that they don't want to compete but would rather let other states take the hit. I think data centers are going to be a highly competitive business and in a bubble environment they might not be profitable at all or take years to be profitable.

Drive across the border to PA and you definitely see areas that have been completely reshaped by hydrofracking with pipelines going all over the place and gravel pads and drilling rigs and gas processing facilities and lots of big trucks on the road, etc. Somebody might say it is worth it but somebody might say it is not.

Overall public opposition to data centers are high, Pew says 70% of Americans don't want a data center in their area

https://news.gallup.com/poll/709772/americans-oppose-data-ce...

and 48% are strongly opposed. It may be right or wrong but I think AI has exposed why people aren't supportive of any kind of economic dynamism. People think it will benefit the rich, they don't think it will benefit them. At least housing has some element of social justice to it, but a lot of people just think AI is going to steal their creativity, steal their job, flood the net with slop, etc.