Matt Larimer, July 23rd, 2026

Standing inside the Arco Construction operations trailer Erik Kempes, Vice President of Field Operations, looked at me and said, “I have to give you credit for making it this far, I have no idea how you slithered in here.” And honestly, I have no idea how I was allowed in either. 

It all started when I decided to drive down to Sullivan County and find where the controversial $65 billion data center would be located. As a writer, I felt that one of the largest private infrastructure developments in Indiana was a project worth covering.

When I arrived at the site, located at the intersection of Old HWY 54 and South County Road 400 W, there was a flurry of activity. Several excavators clearing land, a steady stream of dump trucks coming and going, and a large complex of construction trailers across the street.

I pulled into the parking lot with a sign marked for visitors, and walked in the front door. I was greeted by a man leaned up against a table in a hooded sweatshirt and jeans. I introduced myself as a local writer working on a story, and he helpfully led me to the operations trailer.

He looked into one of the offices and said the person I needed to talk to was in a meeting with “the clients,” and that I should come back in a couple of hours. I was thankful for the opportunity to run home and change out of my shorts and sandals.

I hadn’t expected to speak with someone that quickly and I felt unprepared, so I spent the next two hours on the phone trying to get up to speed with the project, and put together a list of questions for the interview.

When I got back, I went straight to the operations trailer, I re-introduced myself to two people sitting at a table working on their laptops, and they kindly explained that they didn’t work for Arco and couldn’t help me.

Another man in a vest and hard hat overheard and immediately informed me that everyone I could speak with would be “tied up all day.” He went into one of the offices, grabbed a business card, and said I could email them to set something up. 

I was pretty frustrated about driving down twice and then being blown off, so I decided to look around the site for the building permits that I thought should have been posted publicly. When I couldn’t find them, I went back to the operations trailer to ask for their location.

When I went in I could hear a group of people loudly talking and laughing about how they had gotten rid of me, and when one of them came out and saw me, they ran back into the room. Then a man came out of another office and asked if he could help. 

I explained that I was looking for their building permits and he showed me a place on the wall next to the door where about a half dozen permits were posted. Just as I pulled out my phone to photograph them, four men came in and confronted me. 

The first one through the door asked, “are you the inspector?” No, I explained, I’m a local writer working on a story about the data center. At that moment, all four of them looked at the man who was showing me the permits like he had just made the biggest mistake of his life. 

“You can’t look at these, you’re not even supposed to be in here.” I apologized and explained that I was just looking for their building permits. He politely told me that they weren’t posted anywhere on the site and that I could file a public records request for them. 

“I think the state mandates that the permits be posted publicly on the site,” I replied. After giving me a sideways look he responded, “I give you credit for making it this far, I have no idea how you slithered in here, but I think it’s time for you to go.”

“Listen, I’m not trying to be confrontational, I never misrepresented myself, and I am just trying to gather information for a story.” And to his credit, he graciously gave me his email and phone number, and said I could call him any time.