EDITOR’S NOTE: The previous headline and lead sentence of this story alleged the tax break deal was finalized months before the public announcement. Documents reviewed by WTOC show the deal was finalized just one day before the announcement. We regret this error. EFFINGHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) – A newly uncovered paper trail reveals that Effingham County leaders finalized a massive tax break for a $20 billion dollar OpenAI data center the day before the public heard a single word about the project. The records, which include a signed Memorandum of Understanding and internal emails, outline how Effingham County Industrial Development Authority CEO Brandt Herndon, Vice President Jessica Hood, County Manager Tim Callanan and School Superintendent Yancy Ford negotiated the massive project under non-disclosure agreements starting in early February. According to the emails, an OpenAI physical infrastructure official circulated a mutual non-disclosure agreement on Feb. 2, requesting county officials to review and sign the document before receiving confidential briefings. Neighbors have expressed intense frustration about the closed-door discussions. RELATED COVERAGE: Coffee, concerns and ‘Camellia’: Rincon meets on OpenAI plan “If it’s such a great thing for this area, why isn’t it being done out in the open where everybody can have their questions answered,” said Effingham County resident Wade Britt. Resident Katie Broome echoed those concerns, saying officials should have given the…
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