BECKLEY, WV (LOOTPRESS) – A public panel discussion on the future of data centers in West Virginia that had been scheduled for July 21 in Beckley has been canceled, according to the Stubblefield Institute for Civil Political Communications.
The event, titled “Big Data, Big Decisions: Data Centers and West Virginia’s Future,” was set to bring together industry representatives, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss the growing role of data centers in the state.
In a statement announcing the cancellation, the institute said the event was intended to create “a forum where community members, industry representatives, policymakers, and other stakeholders could engage in a thoughtful and constructive conversation about an issue of growing importance to West Virginia.”
The institute said it had always planned to include a community representative on the panel but had not finalized that participant before promoting the event.
“In retrospect, we should have waited until all participants were finalized before publicly promoting the event,” the statement said.
“Our intention was to provide ample opportunity for interested individuals to register, engage, and contribute their questions; however, moving forward before all participants were confirmed created the potential perception of bias, which is inconsistent with our commitment to fair, balanced, and credible civic dialogue.”
The institute also referenced criticism posted on social media, quoting one comment that said, “Come on, Stubblefield Institute. Surely you can do better.”
“That observation is fair, and we take it seriously,” the statement said.
“We can do better—and we must. Meaningful civil discourse depends on the inclusion of multiple perspectives, transparency in process, and a willingness to engage openly with differing viewpoints. Because we do not believe this event currently reflects those standards, we have chosen to cancel it.”
The institute said it hopes to reschedule the discussion in the future “in a manner that meets the high standard of civic engagement and balanced dialogue that the people of West Virginia deserve.”
