Latest news with #economicrevival
Zawya
2 days ago
- Business
- Zawya
Mauritius charts bold new course as government targets investment, growth, and global appeal
With a new government at the helm, Mauritius is setting its sights on economic revival and sustainable growth. As the island nation gears up for the high-profile API Mauritius&Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum, industry experts are calling for bold reforms and streamlined investments. Mauritius is at a pivotal moment as the newly elected government embarks on a mission to stabilise the country's economy and chart a renewed path for sustainable growth. The government has three fiscal challenges: it spends more than it earns in trade, in its budget, and in payments with other countries. To fix these problems, the new Mauritian government aims to create new sources of economic growth and attract important investments from foreign players, especially in real estate. Mauritius' economic outlook and investment opportunities will be a central focus at the third instalment of the annual API Mauritius&Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum, which will take place on 26 June at the InterContinental Hotel in Mauritius. The forum is set to expand on its two previous successes and provide more insights about investment opportunities in Mauritius. The government's emphasis on infrastructure development, climate resilience, and supportive fiscal policies positions Mauritius as an increasingly attractive destination for international capital. Industry players highlight that Mauritius' new government has committed to a path of sustainable growth and transparency, which reinforces investor confidence. Kevin Teeroovengadum, board and advisor to various listed and non-listed companies in Mauritius and in Africa including South Africa, says the government faces the daunting task of stabilising the economy and averting a downgrade to junk status by credit rating agencies. 'Mauritius urgently needs a bold, forward-looking strategic plan — one that mirrors the ambition and clarity of vision seen in Dubai's transformation. The government must set clear targets, not only in terms of the number of foreigners it aims to attract but also the profile and quality of these individuals and, a focused strategy is essential to position Mauritius as a premier destination to live, work, and retire' says Teeroovengadum. As a board director and advisor with over 25 years of hands-on experience across the African continent, Teeroovengadum brings deep expertise in deal-making in sectors such as real estate, hospitality, telecoms, and others, which puts him in good stead regarding the drivers of investments. Mauritius boasts several unique advantages, including a stable political environment, a safe and appealing lifestyle, and a resilient tourism sector. However, experts stress that unlocking the island's full economic potential will require greater openness to foreign developers and institutional investors, especially in emerging asset classes such as green buildings, logistics hubs, and affordable housing. A clear regulatory framework, streamlined processes, and robust public-private collaboration are seen as essential to ensuring that development aligns with national priorities and delivers long-term value to the local economy. Wayne Godwin, CEO of JLL Africa, says Mauritius has hallmarks that are already beneficiary to its potential in the African continent. 'The ease of doing business, sophisticated local capital markets, and low taxation make Mauritius an attractive destination for foreign direct investment, but there are still barriers that can be removed, particularly around the sale of directly held real estate, which incurs higher transfer taxes and a lengthy approval process. 'As JLL, we expect to see more focus from international investors into Mauritius in the next few years, particularly from the Middle East and India, while the trend of Mauritian investors expanding into Africa will likely continue on a similar path,' says Godwin, who leads JLL's business in Africa that has exposure to some of the fastest-growing cities in the continent. Godwin also leads JLL's Hotels&Hospitality Group division in Africa, the largest and most successful hotel advisor and broker in Africa. This places him in the best position to opine about investment opportunities in Mauritius's hospitality and tourism industry at the upcoming API Mauritius&Indian Oceans Property Investment Forum. In the face of rising climate risks, financial innovation, and climate-resilient public-private partnerships are also taking center stage. The use of green building standards, real estate investment trusts, and green bonds is gaining momentum, with early issuances by EnVolt and Cim Finance demonstrating the potential to mobilise green capital at scale. EnVolt and Cim Finance have emerged as early leaders in the green finance movement in Mauritius, playing a pivotal role in mobilising capital for sustainable development and climate-resilient infrastructure. Recycling capital from mature assets into eco-certified, resilient developments is fast becoming essential for long-term value creation in coastal tourism and mixed-use projects. But beyond sustainability, there is a pressing need to ensure that development also delivers inclusive economic opportunity. 'Mauritius has a strong foundation in residential real estate and hospitality, but the time has come to evolve and diversify the development model. We must channel foreign investment into industries that create meaningful employment for our skilled, bilingual youth—sectors like advanced manufacturing, tech-enabled services, and sustainable construction. Real estate remains central to this vision, not as an end in itself, but as a platform to support innovation, green industry, and a more inclusive economy. The opportunity is to build an economy where young Mauritians can thrive at home—not feel compelled to leave in search of better prospects', says Bernard Forster, Managing Director, Elevante Consulting, part of the Elevante Group. Elevante is a leading independent real estate advisory and property services firm in Mauritius and the Indian Ocean region, known for its deep market insight, strategic guidance, and regional transaction expertise across all asset classes. As Mauritius prepares to unveil its national budget in June, all eyes are on the government's roadmap for economic recovery and long-term growth. The coming months will be critical in shaping a more resilient, competitive and sustainable future – positioning the country as a global destination for investment, innovation, and climate-smart development. The 3rd annual API Mauritius&Indian Ocean's Property Investment Forum with the theme of 'A resilient new dawn' will take place on Thursday, 26 June 2025 at the InterContinental Hotel, Mauritius. Fror more information and to register visit Distributed by APO Group on behalf of API Events. Distributed by API Events.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
South Korea presidential hopefuls make final pitch to voters ahead of election
By Jack Kim SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's leading presidential hopefuls were crisscrossing the country on the final day of campaigning on Monday before converging on Seoul, vowing to revive an ailing economy and put months of turmoil over a failed martial law attempt behind them. Tuesday's election was triggered by the ouster of Yoon Suk Yeol who briefly imposed martial law in December, stunning South Koreans who had come to believe the days of using the military to intervene in the democratic process were long past. Liberal frontrunner Lee Jae-myung vowed to mend the social division that deepened in the aftermath of Yoon's martial law, but said his opponent and Yoon's People Power Party must be held accountable, branding them "insurrection sympathisers." "We are at a historic inflection point of whether we go on as a democratic republic or become a country of dictators," Lee told a campaign rally in the battleground capital. Later he said the top priority as president if elected would be to take urgent steps to address the economy, adding he would first turn his attention to the cost of living for middle- and low-income families and the struggles of small business owners. After sweeping through key swing vote regions and the stronghold of his main conservative opponent, Kim Moon-soo, Lee focused on the capital region home to the highest concentration of the country's 44.39 million voters. Kim started the final day on the southern island of Jeju before crossing the country north, calling Lee a "dangerous man" who would abuse the office of president and the parliament controlled by his Democratic Party in an unchecked manner. The conservative candidate once again apologised on Monday for Yoon's martial law and pledged to undertake political reform. The two leading candidates were scheduled to wrap up three weeks of official campaigning at midnight in Seoul, with polls set to open at 6 a.m. (2100 GMT on Monday) on Tuesday across the country. The winner, who will be certified on Wednesday, will have just a short few hours before taking office without the usual two-month transition as Yoon was removed by the Constitutional Court on April 4 for grave violation of his lawful duties.
BBC News
28-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
The battle over plans for Stranraer's former ferry terminal
Standing on top of the railway bridge near Stranraer station gives two very different views from the one side is the sweeping coastline of south west Scotland and a striking vista out across the the other is a sprawling industrial site left behind by Stena Line's decision to move operations a few miles up the coast about 14 years ago.A battle is now taking place over the fate of a slice of that land which is seen as central to further reviving Stranraer's fortunes. In one corner is haulage giant Manfreight which wants to turn the site - on a temporary basis - into a lorry said it could play a "critical role" in supporting the ferry route from Belfast to nearby Cairnryan while also helping the economic revival and regeneration of company said the area was a "cornerstone" of its operations which contributed about £7m-a-year to Stena Line and underpinned local jobs and added that it employed about 60 lorry drivers locally - generating more than £2.5m in wages and spending in the community, with hopes to double that workforce. "Our employees live locally - they support shops, schools, trades, and services," the firm added."We believe in growing with the community, not just operating in it."This is a quieter, cleaner, and safer use of the land than its historic port operations."It offers a way to unlock economic value now, while preparing Stranraer for the future." Romano Petrucci chairs the Stranraer Development Trust and fears the lorry park could undo a lot of the work his group and others have been said it would go against an ambitious place plan drawn up to develop the area to attract would include an expanded marina, a water sports hub which is currently under development and improved walking and cycling links."For us to kick-start this regeneration and try and build it, and expect people to come into the 210 new berths in their nice yachts and look on to a lorry park, is going to be a real challenge," said Mr Petrucci."We're 100% behind a lorry park but it cannot go there - it's the wrong place for it."He said the fear was that temporary approval would ultimately become permanent and effectively halt the wider plan for the waterfront. Janet Jones is project manager of Creative Stranraer, an arts organisation which is also part of the regeneration too said they did not want a lorry park planted on what had the potential to be "the most beautiful part" of the town."This is just crazy and any logical person would see the blight that that would have," she said."Not only that, it's a slap in the face of all the work and effort that lots of people are putting into this town with great passion."We can make this town so much better than it was when the ferries were in town, so long as we don't have a lorry park on our coast." The North West Castle Hotel looks out across the site and has also lodged an objection - mainly on the noise issue.A statement said it was uncertain about the number of vehicles using the facility, what the hours of operation would be and the impact of floodlit added that, given the bigger plans for the whole waterfront, it was hard to understand why the proposal was "even considered" in a residential area with a 20mph speed limit. David Hope-Jones represents hundreds of businesses as chief executive of the South of Scotland Destination Alliance (SSDA).He said they had "huge concerns" over the impact of seeing "the beautiful waterfront turned into an industrial zone".According to John Fenwick, trustee of Stranraer Water Sports Association, the proposal "flies in the face" of what local people have been trying to achieve."The siting of a lorry park in the very centre of the development, miles from Cairnryan and major roads shows a total disregard for all but the interests of the freight company," he added. It will be up to Dumfries and Galloway Council to decide if the lorry park can go development is being recommended for approval with a number of conditions, including the clean-up of the site once permission expires after three years.
Free Malaysia Today
22-05-2025
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
We want Malaysia to be a high-income nation, says Hamzah
Opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin said Malaysia can no longer remain complacent and that steps must be taken to revive its economy. (Envato Elements pic) PETALING JAYA : Freeing Malaysians from the middle-income trap and taking the nation to a high-income level will form the core of a Perikatan Nasional (PN) government's economic policy, according to opposition leader Hamzah Zainudin. Hamzah, the PN deputy chairman and Bersatu deputy president, said the approach would be based on fairness to ensure shared prosperity. 'Given the current state of our economy, Malaysia can no longer afford to be complacent,' he said at the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore today. 'It is time for us to revive the economy, and to move forward smarter, faster, and more equitably,' he said. Hamzah said that for Malaysia, a vibrant and dynamic economy was still within reach 'if we have the will and the capability for structural reform'. He said Malaysians would also have to redefine national priorities, adopt responsible fiscal discipline, and expand the revenue base in a sustainable and strategic manner. The Larut MP said Malaysia must be able to strike a balance between development spending and welfare allocation to protect vulnerable groups. 'Our focus must shift to high-impact investments and capacity-building – in education, women and youth empowerment, digital infrastructure, and technical skills – to prepare our country for the future.' He said PN would ensure fiscal discipline to reduce the nation's over-dependence on debt. 'This will require reforms in the tax system for greater efficiency, eliminating leakage and wastage, and streamlining government services through digitalisation while cutting red tape,' he said. Hamzah said that to expand the revenue base, the government would have to tap new and sustainable sources of wealth such as renewable energy and critical minerals like rare earth while it moves up the global supply chain, especially in semiconductors, to capture higher value-added opportunities. To make it an incentive to increase productivity, he said, bold measures would be introduced to drive economic output, enhance national competitiveness, and generate higher income and tax revenue. The former minister said that to attract quality investments and make Malaysia globally competitive, steps would be taken to enhance transparency and efficiency to improve investor confidence. He said PN would make it a priority to return Malaysia to the Top 10 in the 'Ease of Doing Business' ranking by simplifying licensing, cutting approval times, and aggressively combating corruption. The country has slipped to 12th place in the ranking. 'We are also committed to restoring investor confidence by ensuring political stability, as well as clear and consistent policies, because investors value predictability, not uncertainty.' He said the capital and equity markets would see new and diverse financial instruments to offer domestic and international investors 'a fresh flavour'. Hamzah also said Malaysia must reduce its reliance on external sources for food and labour in order to build a resilient and self-sustaining economy. As of 2023, Malaysia had spent more than RM75 billion on food imports, he said, describing this figure as unsustainable. He said steps would be taken to strengthen food security by boosting the domestic agro-industry and modernising agricultural practices while offering targeted incentives and training to empower young agricultural entrepreneurs. Hamzah said that to reduce reliance on migrant labour, there would be investments in automation, the local workforce would be upskilled, and vocational and technical training would be given priority. 'We will protect workers' rights by encouraging collective bargaining to ensure fairness and dignity for all,' he added.
New York Times
19-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
From Gambling to Garbage, Coal Country Mines for the Next Big Thing
When Clyde Stacy bought the Bristol Mall in 2018, both the mall and the surrounding coal country of Southwest Virginia were in trouble. The mall, once the marquee shopping destination in the region, had become vacant, weeds punching up through its parking lot. And the city of Bristol, the self-described birthplace of country music, was buckling under the weight of more than $100 million in debt, forcing budget cuts to its schools. Nearby, mining counties across Virginia's slice of Appalachia were reeling after decades of job loss. Mr. Stacy and his friend Jim McGlothlin, both former coal magnates, seized on what they called a 'moonshot' solution: turning the mall into a casino, in a state where gambling was not yet legal. Today, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Bristol has become an unlikely beacon of hope. It employs 1,400 workers and has sent tax revenue rippling through the surrounding coal country where the men made their first millions. The casino, which formally opened in November, was arguably the biggest economic win for the region in a decade. But the project also illustrates the challenges of finding new economic engines to replace thousands of jobs lost with the collapse of the coal industry. For all the jobs it has created, the casino doesn't pay anywhere near what people make in the remaining mines. Many casino workers earn close to the resort's minimum pay of $17 an hour, less than half what miners earn. The collapse of coal sent Virginia leaders into overdrive, courting new employers with subsidies and phone calls from the governor. President Trump's recent efforts to revive coal production by loosening environmental rules won't change that. The people of Southwest Virginia have largely moved on from the belief that bountiful mining jobs will ever return. State and federal officials have spent tens of millions of dollars trying to revitalize the regional economy, but have struggled with the formidable task of replacing mining jobs. Some of the boldest projects local officials have supported involve industries that tend to be magnets for controversy: a massive landfill, a retail cannabis empire (which never advanced beyond a pitch to investors) and a network of data centers that could be powered by nuclear reactors. People living in the region complain that the proposed businesses would create few high-paying jobs or carry environmental or social risks. Many believe the dump and the nuclear reactors would be direct threats to the region's natural beauty and growing tourism industry. The casino has also divided the community, with religious leaders warning that it will worsen crime and gambling addiction rates. While the projects have been pitched as part of an Appalachian reboot, some residents attacked them as more of the same — undesirable industries courted in the name of job creation, like the prisons that dot the mountains of Kentucky, or coal mining itself. That criticism has gained traction in part because many of the highest-profile projects have involved politically connected businessmen who once controlled the local coal industry. The leader of the effort to lure data centers is Michael J. Quillen, founder of what was once the largest metallurgical coal company in the United States. Mr. McGlothlin sold his coal business for an estimated $1 billion in 2009 and turned to philanthropy before backing the casino. Now 84, his name adorns university buildings, art collections and scholarships across the state. Mr. McGlothlin and Mr. Stacy contributed more than $2 million to state politicians in their push to legalize casino gambling in 2020 and beat a competing casino proposal. In interviews with The New York Times, Mr. McGlothlin and Mr. Quillen said they were motivated by giving back to a region that had made them successful. (Mr. Stacy, who sold his stake in the casino in January, declined to be interviewed.) 'Whatever I can do to help, I will,' Mr. McGlothlin said. But many locals, like Amy Branson, remain skeptical. Ms. Branson, a 39-year-old pharmacist who organized a group to oppose the landfill, said her community had coped with coal's pollution for decades because the industry offered a path to relative prosperity. But she felt the current projects offered a worse deal. 'This is another bastardization of Appalachia, where they take advantage of us and we are supposed to roll over and take it,' Ms. Branson said. Looking for Answers Southwest Virginia is the state's toe, kicking up against West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina. Timber and coal mining began transforming the region in the late 1800s, drawing workers to ramshackle towns where the jobs were dirty and dangerous. During boom years, miners unionized and won concessions that propelled them into the middle class. But the industry's busts were scathing and more enduring. By 2023, there were about 2,500 miners left in the state, less than 13 percent of peak employment in 1942. The industry left sawed-off ridgelines and barren pits in its wake. Tens of thousands of acres remain in the hands of energy companies, complicating new tourism or industrial projects. As miners moved away, the economic fallout spread across the region: Businesses shuttered, and local governments cut services. In 1996, coal executives, including Mr. McGlothlin and Mr. Quillen, convinced state lawmakers to offer mining companies tax breaks designed to save jobs. The program, which cost taxpayers more than $390 million over the past two decades, was discontinued in 2022, after a state audit found it delivered 'negligible economic benefits.' More recently, millions in federal funds have gone to turning old, toxic mines into business parks and recreation trails. Other programs aimed to beef up the region's broadband network and strengthen its community colleges. From 2013 to 2023, officials across the region directed at least $200 million in grants to economic development. All that spending has yielded mixed results. Federal data show the region still lost around 6,000 jobs in that decade. And when officials trumpeted the opening of a new call center or manufacturing facility, they rarely mentioned past ventures that had quietly folded. A manufacturing plant in Wythe County that was supposed to churn out medical gloves and provide 2,400 jobs stalled over a federal funding dispute in 2023. In Bristol, an $8 million state-funded building was supposed to house cutting-edge energy companies, but it's now rented to an orthopedic clinic. There are some recent signs of progress. Buoyed by the growth of small manufacturers, wages have risen faster in Southwest Virginia than in the rest of the state since the Covid pandemic. Parts of the region, like Washington County near the Tennessee state line, have had a bump in new residents since 2020. The newcomers found affordable housing, easy access to mountains, and cultural draws like the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival. But the region's coal counties face a particularly steep economic climb. In Buchanan County, for example, 30 percent of children live in poverty, nearly triple the statewide average. The county has no four-lane highways and little flat land for new industry. Susan Coleman, a retiree who volunteers at a local pantry, said she had watched people leave in search of better opportunities. 'There's really nothing to do here, nothing for anybody young to want to live here,' Ms. Coleman said. Trash and Transparency In Russell County, officials tried to address a similar set of problems with an unpopular solution: a giant landfill. In better times, cattle, coal and tobacco were mainstays of the local economy. But the county's population has been in steady decline for decades. Last year, to save money, the school district closed two elementary schools. So when Mr. Stacy, the former coal magnate, and his longtime business partner John Matney approached county officials in 2022 about installing a private landfill in a former coal field, Steve Breeding, vice chair of the county board of supervisors, was all ears. Estimates suggested the project could bring more than $200 million in new revenue to municipal coffers over its 40-year life span — more than any other project Mr. Breeding recalled seeing during his nine years on the board. 'It was just a game changer for the county,' he said in an interview last year. But some of his constituents didn't see it that way. Many were outraged, warning that the project would pollute rivers and tank property values. And for the landfill's most strident critics, it was especially galling that two coal barons had proposed building it near the site of a seminal 1989-90 miners' strike in which locals fought off a coal company's attempts to cut health insurance for retired workers. At county board meetings, residents complained that Mr. Stacy and Mr. Matney did not live in Russell County and wouldn't have to deal with the effects of their dump, and that state and local politicians seemed to be helping them usher their project through. 'They all think that they know what's best for the people, and they think that we are too stupid to make our own decisions,' said Ms. Branson, the anti-landfill activist. Mr. Stacy has a long history of making campaign contributions, beyond the funds specifically aimed at boosting the Bristol casino. He has personally given more than $350,000 to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's campaign over the past four years and tens of thousands more to local lawmakers. In February 2024, during the debate over the landfill, he and Russell County officials met with Governor Youngkin and showed him plans for the project. Also at the meeting: Terry Kilgore, a Republican member of the House of Delegates who is widely seen as the region's most powerful lawmaker and its pre-eminent deal maker. Since he was first elected in 1993, Mr. Kilgore has championed state tax breaks for coal operators, sought new employers and helped fund infrastructure projects across the region. Mr. Stacy and Mr. Matney have been major donors to his political campaigns and occasional clients of his law firm. Mr. Kilgore also described them as friends. He was one of several co-sponsors of the legislation that paved the way for the Bristol casino, a project that stood to make Mr. Stacy many millions of dollars. When Mr. Stacy was sued over a lease dispute involving the Bristol Mall, he hired Mr. Kilgore for his legal team. But the relationship between Mr. Kilgore and the casino developers has been strained in recent years because he supported a push to bring gaming terminals to gas stations, which casinos see as a threat to their bottom line. In 2018, a prominent state commission, with Mr. Kilgore as chair, voted to spend several million dollars on a project proposed by Mr. Stacy, Mr. Matney and former State Senator Will Wampler Jr. The commission gave Russell County $1.6 million to buy a polluted patch of land from the businessmen after they helped clean it up and prepared it as a site for future industry. Today, the industrial pad is vacant. Mr. Kilgore said he wasn't doing legal work for Mr. Stacy or Mr. Matney at the time of the commission vote. And he said the overlap between his law clients and his government work was not surprising in a community where 'everybody knows everybody.' But to critics of the landfill, it suggested Mr. Kilgore was putting donors' interests ahead of constituents'. Last year, a public records request revealed that Mr. Kilgore had called an official in a neighboring county in an attempt to stifle criticism of the project. At the time, Mr. Kilgore was county attorney for Russell County and had recused himself from the landfill negotiations because of his legal work for Mr. Stacy. Mr. Kilgore said he had made the call as a constituent. Ms. Branson said it was proof the lawmaker was conflicted; she filed several unsuccessful bar complaints against him. Last June, after months of pressure, the Russell County board voted to terminate negotiations with Mr. Stacy and Mr. Matney. Still, Ms. Branson said that she was concerned about what new plans might emerge in the future. Beyond the Mines Despite lingering distrust of the coal industry, it's hard to imagine any economic revival in Southwest Virginia that doesn't involve the people who ran the region's mines. Some of the wealthiest people in the local business community are former coal executives, and energy companies still own thousands of acres of land. The Bristol casino might never have gotten off the ground were it not for Mr. McGlothlin and Mr. Stacy's wealth and political savvy. For decades, state lawmakers had shot down plans to legalize casino gambling. Then, in 2019 and 2020, Mr. McGlothlin teamed up with a Democratic state lawmaker to package the concept as a way to revitalize a handful of Virginia cities and showered lawmakers with campaign donations. One champion of the casino plan — Israel O'Quinn, a Republican member of the House of Delegates — now works part time for a charitable foundation associated with Mr. McGlothlin's company. Coal interests are also crucial to what may be the region's most ambitious revitalization effort to date: a project to turn former coal fields into a hub for data centers. The power-hungry facilities would be fueled by on-site alternative energy sources, including solar farms and nuclear power plants. Mr. Quillen, the former coal executive, is leading the effort through the Energy DELTA Lab, a public-private partnership that is laying the groundwork for future development on lands owned by an energy company. In his proposal, old mining shafts on the site could offer access to underground water, which is needed to cool the data centers' servers. The project has potent symbolism: a return to Southwest Virginia's roots as an energy hub, on the ashes of the coal economy. While Northern Virginia communities have increasingly soured on the proliferation of data centers there, Southwest Virginia governments are offering tax breaks. The coal field project's backers estimate that it could one day create 1,600 jobs and millions in tax revenues. But local skeptics have questioned those numbers because data centers generally require few workers. And when Governor Youngkin announced the DELTA Lab project in October 2022, calling for the region to build the country's first small nuclear reactors, public backlash was swift. Last year, the governor walked back his comments, saying the first reactor would most likely be built elsewhere in the state. Mr. Quillen conceded that the governor's enthusiastic embrace of nuclear power had caused a setback with the public. But the bigger picture, he said, is that coal is not coming back to save the region. In fact, he said, Mr. Trump's trade wars may disrupt the state's remaining coal exports. Will Payne, a co-founder of the DELTA Lab project and a leader in marketing the region to employers, said that although the idea of data centers on old mining sites might sound far-fetched, the region's problems demand bold solutions. 'So many people tell us it's not going to work,' he said. 'And that's kind of what drives us here, is to prove them wrong.'
