A car sales magnate has been denied planning permission for a Bitcoin and cryptomining facility in Vilonia, Arkansas, following months of opposition from local residents.

Steve Landers Jr, founder of Interstate Holdings Blockchain, was present at Vilonia City Council meetings over the past few months where residents presented their concerns regarding the crypto mining facility.

The city planning commission had recommended denying the proposals in April, and the county council officially denied the application during a meeting in late May.

Main points of contention centered around noise pollution, as well as the amount of energy the facility would draw from the local power grid, potentially leaving other businesses or services underserved.

"Everybody was opposed to it. Nobody in this community was for it. I don't think that the cryptomine proposal addressed the noise concerns and other concerns that citizens have," said Mike Matos of the Vilonia State Council.

Matos also foresaw potential situations where future businesses may want to set up in Vilonia, only to find that the local power grid was already at full capacity. Matos added:

“So, if a factory wanted to come in and employ 500 people, but the capacity is no longer there, then who pays for that expansion? And would that actually push future investors away from our community?” he said.

Landers already owns two cryptomine sites in Arkansas, with five more under development. He has stated in the past that, despite concerns raised about noise and over-use of energy, the noise output from the data centers is negligible, while the facilities only use excess grid power.

Landers even invited city council officials out to see one of the operational sites: “We invited the mayor of Cabot out. He brought the police chief, the fire chief. They came to check it out, got a full tour… We’re using the best equipment available, and it’s night and day different [from] the ones that everybody complains about.”

Interstate is also trying to build a crypto mine near Cabot, but has also faced resistance from local officials.