The Academy of Model Aeronautics is weighing whether to sell its sprawling 1,100-acre campus in Delaware County, Indiana, the hobbyist group confirmed, though it stresses the idea remains an early-stage evaluation that may never happen. The property along East Memorial Drive in Liberty Township has been AMA's home for more than three decades, hosting the National Model Aviation Museum and drawing thousands of hobbyists from around the world to fly remote-controlled aircraft on its grounds.
AMA officials are contemplating selling the group's property in Delaware County, according to The Star Press, which reported that the site has long served as AMA's International Aeromodeling Center. In a blog post, AMA itself confirmed the organization is evaluating an opportunity involving the property, while cautioning that the review remains in its early stages and may not proceed.
The group has tried to reassure its membership that nothing is changing on the ground yet. In the same post on its blog, AMA wrote that there are no changes to its day-to-day operations, meaning programs, member services and staff continue as usual while leadership weighs its options. The site, AMA noted, has hosted the National Aeromodeling Championships and the museum for generations of hobbyists.
What AMA Would Do If a Sale Moves Forward
In a separate update, AMA said that if it does sell the property, it will secure another national flying site, or sites, to replace it. The organization also said it would identify a future location for the National Model Aviation Museum should its plans move forward, though it stressed that decisions about AMA's future are still under consideration.
Rumors have circulated that AMA might be selling its Delaware County property to make way for a data-center facility, the station's report on the Star Press noted. No buyer, land use or finalized sale terms have been confirmed publicly. Property records current through an October 9 data upload showed no recorded sale of the AMA site, and all 20 parcels comprising the roughly 1,100-acre property remained titled in the Academy of Model Aeronautics' name or minor variants, according to the same account.
Why Data Centers Are on Delaware County's Radar
The speculation around AMA's land is unfolding against the backdrop of a broader data-center push across Indiana. Delaware County Commissioner Stephen Brand said earlier this year that he had already spoken with seven data-center companies interested in local land, as reported by Indiana Public Radio. Brand said the county is also considering opportunities to bring drone testing and manufacturing to the area, and a Citizen Action Coalition report cited in that story found Indiana has nearly 30 data centers either proposed or under construction statewide.
Elsewhere in the state, those projects carry hefty price tags and promises. In Kokomo, Digital Realty has proposed a three-building data-center campus spanning about 476 acres near U.S. 31 and County Road 400 North, according to the Kokomo Tribune. Plans call for roughly 3 million square feet of floor space that could generate between $44 million and $55 million in annual property-tax revenue once completed in 2033.
The investment wave has also shown up in utility bills. Indiana Michigan Power has proposed cutting Indiana customer bills by about $59 million in 2027 and freezing monthly rates for three years, a move the utility says is made possible by the load growth and increased revenue it is experiencing from large customers including data centers, per Inside Indiana Business.
A Membership Squeeze Behind the Scenes
According to the group's own executive council minutes on modelaircraft.org, membership peaked at roughly 150,000 in 2002 and has declined 2% to 3% annually since then, leaving AMA with about 89,000 adult and senior members as of the end of September 2025.
The same minutes show AMA lost 2,439 members over the prior year, a drop that reduced revenue by $195,120, and the group's 2026 budget reflected a significant deficit that officials attributed primarily to declining membership. For now, AMA maintains that decisions about its future, including the fate of its Muncie-area flagship campus, are still under consideration.
