Lake Norman

Dale Earnhardt’s widow faces neighbors over data center plans: Timeline

Stories by Charlotte Observer journalists, with AI summarization

This collection of stories examines Teresa Earnhardt’s ambitious proposals to redevelop her Mooresville land into a data center campus. The articles highlight some local resistance, including nearly 200 neighbors who stood up to protest the rezoning request, concerned about changing the area's character from rural to industrial. Meanwhile, a proposed 78-home community near Lake Norman also sparked discussions around development impacts on the region.

In addition to community concerns, the stories reveal approval hurdles as the Mooresville Planning Board first rejected but later narrowly backed the project. Readers also learn about neighboring land developments and questions about the project's potential environmental effects. Read the stories below.

Dale Earnhardt and his third wife, Teresa, posed in 1987 with his famous No. 3 Chevy alongside an Air Guard jet fighter. A family feud is brewing between his widow and Earnhardt’s surviving family members, including his sons Dale Jr. and Kerry. By DAVIE HINSHAW

NO. 1: WIDOW OF NASCAR LEGEND DALE EARNHARDT REVEALS PLANS FOR HER VAST LANDHOLDINGS

The former farmland property is 2 1/2 miles from Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt’s longtime racing headquarters on N.C. 3 in Mooresville. | Published October 19, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Dale Earnhardt and his third wife, Teresa, posed in 1987 with his famous No. 3 Chevy alongside an Air Guard jet fighter. A family feud is brewing between his widow and Earnhardt’s surviving family members, including his sons Dale Jr. and Kerry.

NO. 2: 200 NEIGHBORS PROTEST PLANS BY DALE EARNHARDT’S WIDOW TO DEVELOP HER VAST LANDHOLDINGS

The former farmland property is 2 1/2 miles from Dale Earnhardt Inc., Earnhardt’s longtime racing headquarters on N.C. 3 in Mooresville. | Published October 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Dale Earnhardt and his third wife, Teresa, posed in 1987 with his famous No. 3 Chevy alongside an Air Guard jet fighter. A family feud is brewing between his widow and Earnhardt’s surviving family members, including his sons Dale Jr. and Kerry. By DAVIE HINSHAW

NO. 3: DALE EARNHARDT’S WIDOW GETS APPROVAL OF PLAN FOR HER 400 WOODED MOORESVILLE ACRES

The project will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in local tax revenues, developer says. | Published April 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

Mooresville Mayor Chris Carney checks the sound decibel levels along the perimeter of the Apple data center in Newton, N.C., on Tuesday, June 10, 2025. By KHADEJEH NIKOUYEH

NO. 4: DALE EARNHARDT WIDOW RILES NEIGHBORS WITH PLANNED $30B DATA CENTER ON HER 400 ACRES

Mooresville mayor finds no noise or traffic issues on visit with Charlotte Observer reporters to an Apple data center in Maiden, Catawba County. | Published June 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Joe Marusak

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.