I was talking with a corporate farm owner that had invested 500k into 1st gen mining equipment which only did double digit Gh/s, now they're stuck and can't afford to get the single digit Th/s due in 2014.
This makes absolutely no sense, unless the "500k in 1st gen mining equipment" happens to have been block erupters purchased in the past 2 months @ $100/ea.
500k in Avalon batch 3s or clones, or BFL gear would leave you pretty broke right now.