"Yes, And..." Spring Forum Discusses People, Place, and Power

People, Place, and Power: 150 Regional Leaders Gathered to Talk Energy and AI.

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There is a moment in any significant shift, whether that’s technological, economic, or environmental, when we begin to ask questions out loud, together. That moment happened on May 1 at the Tennessee Aquarium in downtown Chattanooga, when more than 150 community leaders, planners, elected officials, business owners, and conservationists gathered for Thrive Regional Partnership’s "Yes, And..." Spring Forum: Thoughtfully Preparing Communities for Energy & AI. There, attendees joined a regional conversation about a consequential topic: the rapid expansion of energy infrastructure and artificial intelligence, and what it means for the places we call home.

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Nobody in that room had all the answers. That was the point.

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A Region Paying Attention

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Across the country, data centers, the physical infrastructure that powers advanced technology like artificial intelligence (AI), are being built at a “fast and furious” pace that outruns most communities' ability to understand and respond to the impacts of growth. These facilities are different from traditional economic development projects. They require considerable amounts of land, water, and power. They bring jobs and tax revenue. They bring new demands on local infrastructure, new questions about land use, and new pressure on utilities that are navigating a rapidly changing energy landscape.

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For communities in our tri-state region, this is not a distant or abstract conversation. It has arrived. Developers have already constructed data centers in several counties in the tri-state, greater Chattanooga region. Other counties are watching them approach in the form of site inquiries, zoning decisions, utility planning meetings, and economic development pitches, whether ready or not.

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In a panel discussion at the Forum, Hunter Hydas, Systems Planning Director for Tennessee Valley Authority described the magnitude of the moment, noting that in the last year TVA received 65 inquiries for data centers in the Tennessee Valley in 2025, up from 13 inquiries in 2020, and that data center construction surpassed $45 billion of project construction across the entire nation in just the first quarter of 2026.

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In an introductory presentation, Celine Benoit of the Atlanta Regional Commission shared basic information about types of data centers, cooling methods, as well as land use impacts alongside financial and economic development benefits. 

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Building upon Thrive’s annual theme, “Yes, And…” the Spring Forum offered a simple premise: that we can welcome economic growth alongside a strong intention to preserve quality of life, landscapes, and character in our communities. And that the communities best positioned to shape what comes next are the ones that show up informed, connected, and clear about their own values.

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Energy in the Room

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What emerged from the day’s presentations and discussions was not a debate, but a thoughtful, collective orientation: Yes, data centers are here, and we can develop on our own terms.

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A panel of regional experts representing power systems planning, policy, conservation, and economic development took questions and offered perspectives on how energy and AI development influences people, place, and policy.  Leigh Hopkins of Georgia Tech’s Center for Economic Research and Development stated that “energy is an economic development and workforce development strategy. Leading with curiosity and creativity will be super important.”

According to panelists, a challenge with data center development is the “fast and furious” speed at which these decisions happen. Yet, there is a profound opportunity to approach this type of development in a measured way. As Georgia Public Service Commissioner Peter Hubbard shared, data center development presents a “generational opportunity” to upgrade our infrastructure in a thoughtful, sustainable way. A native of Bradley County who grew up paddling on the Ocoee River, “this place is important to us,” he noted, “let’s do this how we want.” 

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Stacy Funderburke of The Conservation Fund, which focuses on land and water conservation alongside sustainable economic development expressed to community leaders that to negotiate with data center developers, we must come up with big proposals that meaningfully move the needle on land protection. To counter the impact, leaders should roll-up what their community wants for the next five to six decades and ask for it now. “Sounds like leverage to me,” he noted.

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Moderator Dodd Galbreath, Director of Sustainable Practice at Lipscomb University asked the panelists what they would want a community leader to know as they are first stepping into this conversation. The answers were empowering.

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Across the panel, speakers emphasized the agency of local communities. “Communities have more leverage than they think,” panelists stated. “You have the power to talk to your leaders about your expectations.”  

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“Plan for what you want,” said Leigh Hopkins, emphatically. “Plan for your rivers, your plateaus….” 

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“We want to help communities make no-regret decisions,” said Commissioner Hubbard.

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The "Yes, And" Opportunity

The forum takes its name from Thrive Regional Partnership’'s theme for the year: "Yes, And." It is borrowed from the world of improvisational theater, where the principle is simple: you accept what is offered and build on it, rather than blocking or redirecting. 

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Applied to the conversation about energy and AI, it reflects a belief that communities do not have to choose between economic growth and the preservation of what makes them special. Yes, data centers are here, and we can develop on our own terms.

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The expansion of energy infrastructure and future technology presents a real opportunity to welcome investment and innovation while holding firm to the long-term landscapes, quality of life, and community character that define our region.

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That is not a naive position. It is a strategic one. Communities that engage this moment early, that build relationships with utilities, developers, and policymakers before projects are announced, are the communities that end up with a seat at the table. Communities that wait often find the table has already been set.

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The leaders in that room on May 1 were not waiting.

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A Conversation, Not a Conclusion

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It would be a mistake to suggest that a single forum resolves anything. It does not. The questions surrounding data center development, energy infrastructure, land use, water resources, and AI's role in our economy are complex, contested, and evolving. Communities will make different choices based on different values and different circumstances. There is no single right answer.

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What the "Yes, And..." Forum offered was something more foundational: a shared starting point. A room full of people who now have a common vocabulary, a broader network, and a clearer sense of questions to ask in their own communities.

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That matters more than it might seem. Progress (the kind that lasts) is rarely built by a single policy or a single project. It is built through relationships, through repeated conversations across differences, through the steady momentum of shared understanding. Forums like this are where that work begins.

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What Comes Next

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The "Yes, And..." Forum series continues with a second regional gathering on August 7 in South Pittsburg, Tennessee, followed by Thrive’s flagship Tri-State Summit on October 7-9 in downtown Chattanooga. Each event is designed to deepen the conversation, moving from awareness to preparation to action.

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Visit thriveregionalpartnership.org/news-and-events to register for upcoming events and join the conversation. 

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Growth can happen quickly, and sometimes before you even realize it. But the community leaders in this region are moving too. They’re asking questions, building connections, and stepping into a complex moment with curiosity and creativity.

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That is exactly where responsible growth begins.

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