Developer and county commissioner say project is exploratory; developer: 'not a Bitcoin mining site'

The developer identified online as Jeff Keller joined the meeting by phone to answer questions about the proposed facility and deny allegations of improper influence. "There have not been any bribes paid," Keller said, and added the project "is not a Bitcoin mining site." Keller described the facility as planned to be air-cooled and said, "We have no interest in using any water," adding that any liquid cooling in the future would use food-grade glycol and that disposal options exist nearby.

Tony DeBonge, a Deschutes County commissioner and Sunriver–La Pine economic development committee participant, urged a calm process: "We went fishing. We found somebody that may be interested in putting a data center here," DeBonge said, framing the current stage as negotiation and information-gathering. He encouraged residents to call him with questions and emphasized staff and SLED have been working to get more information, including site visits.

Developer Keller said the project team chose a location near the sawmill, railroad tracks and an industrial disposal facility to distance the facility from homes, and said the team plans to negotiate power pricing directly with Bonneville and not to rely on unpaid local subsidies. "We are planning to do an air cooled facility," Keller said, and he urged the city to focus on contract terms, monitoring and regulation if negotiations proceed.