The Lanr Betrayal: How Power Brokers Sacrificed Prince George’s County for Profit
There are moments in local politics when the mask slips—and this past week in Prince George’s County, it was torn off completely. The proposed data center at the long-vacant Landover Mall site has ignited a firestorm of public outrage, exposing a network of political operatives, developers, and legacy landowners willing to trade community health for corporate gain.
At the center of the storm is Councilmember Wala Blegay, who until Tu!esday night was one of the most vocal supporters of the data center project. Her reversal—announcing a proposed moratorium on all data centers—came only after hundreds of residents packed a task force meeting, demanding answers and decrying the environmental risks. The pivot was dramatic, but not redemptive. Blegay had already staked her reputation on the project, reportedly under pressure from convicted felon Jack Johnson, County Executive Aisha Braveboy, and a cadre of lobbyists tied to Lerner Enterprises.
The land in question was once the crown jewel of Al Lerner’s real estate empire. Now, under the stewardship of his son Mark Lerner, it’s become a symbol of absentee capitalism—a place where inherited wealth is leveraged not to uplift the community, but to extract profit from its decline. The proposed Brightseat Tech Park would sit adjacent to schools, senior housing, and densely populated neighborhoods. Residents fear noise pollution, energy strain, and toxic runoff. Their message is clear: “We are not expendable.”
And yet, the political machinery moved forward. Krystal Oriadha and Edward Burroughs III, while now voicing opposition, were part of a council that allowed the project to advance without meaningful public oversight. Braveboy’s silence has been deafening, especially given her office’s role in zoning enforcement and permitting. The community sees this not as a failure of process, but a betrayal of trust.
The most galling aspect? The beneficiaries. Lerner Enterprises, a billionaire family firm that once had the chance to bring a professional baseball stadium to Prince George’s County, chose instead to plant it in Southeast D.C.—a decision many residents still view as a snub. Now, the same family seeks to profit off the land they left to rot, with local officials acting as enablers.
This isn’t just about one data center. It’s about a pattern: elected officials aligning with developers and lobbyists to push projects that endanger public health, erode community dignity, and deepen economic inequality. The Landover Mall site could have been a beacon of renewal. Instead, it’s become a battlefield—where residents must fight for the right not to be poisoned in the name of progress.
Councilmember Blegay’s retreat may be politically expedient, but it’s not courageous. Courage would have meant standing with her constituents from the beginning, not after the backlash became unmanageable. And for those still pushing the project—Braveboy, Johnson, Lerner, and their allies—the question isn’t whether they’ll profit. It’s whether they’ll be remembered as the ones who sold out Prince George’s County for a buck.
Thank you for this important update. We absolutely do not want a Data Center in our County
I would not have known about this data center without you excellent reporting thanks. No we need no centers in residential areas, and they tried to slip this thru!!!