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Sangamon County Residents Debate Data Center Project
Residents raise concerns about proposed data center, despite months of public meetings and a potential final vote looming.
Feb. 11, 2026 at 10:31am
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As Illinois lawmakers propose legislation to protect consumers from data centers, residents in Sangamon County, Illinois are urging the County Board to postpone approval of a proposed data center project near Lowder. Residents argue the project's benefits are overstated and that a 180-day moratorium is needed to resolve negative impacts. However, the data center developer, CyrusOne, says they have been focused on listening to the community and reinforcing their commitment to being a good neighbor.
Why it matters
The data center debate highlights the ongoing tensions between economic development and community concerns, as local governments balance the potential benefits of new business investments against the worries of residents about the long-term impacts on their community.
The details
The proposed data center project by CyrusOne has been the subject of months of public meetings and comments from Sangamon County residents. While CyrusOne claims the project will bring significant tax revenue increases, residents dispute the promised benefits and fear the data center may not be a long-term fixture in the community. Residents are asking the County Board to impose a 180-day moratorium to allow more time to negotiate a community benefits agreement and resolve negative impacts.
- The Sangamon County Board is scheduled to hold a final vote on the data center project on March 23, 2026.
- Illinois lawmakers are proposing legislation this week to protect consumers from data centers.
The players
Lori McKiernan
A resident who urged the Sangamon County Board to postpone approval of the data center project.
Brad Hout
The Director of Location and Power Strategy for CyrusOne, the data center developer, who said the company is focused on listening to the community and being a good neighbor.
Salem King
A resident who disputed the promises made by CyrusOne and accused the company's representative of lying and only being interested in good PR.
Ryan McCrady
The CEO of the Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance, who claimed the data center project will significantly increase tax revenue for the county.
What they’re saying
“Postponing approval of this project causes no financial hardship on the developer, or the sellers of the property. Approving the project before you can ensure actual benefits to the community is not reasonable economic development. A 180 day moratorium would allow many of the negative impacts to be resolved, and would allow time to negotiate a community benefits agreement.”
— Lori McKiernan, Resident
“At (data center owner) CyrusOne, we make it a priority to be accessible and fully engaged in every community where we invest. We believe strong projects start with strong local relationships.”
— Brad Hout, Director of Location and Power Strategy, CyrusOne
“Their representative just got up here to spout predictable P.R. talking points about the importance of conversations, making empty promises that — even if true — make no assurance of positive outcomes for this community. He assured us longevity; but on little to no basis, given the nature of the A.I. industry. He's lying. And, every syllable he spoke proves that he is only interested in good P.R.”
— Salem King, Resident
“The change in the tax revenue to the county will be significant. This land right now generates about $20,000 in property taxes. Your county assessor has estimated the property taxes to be over $6 million on this 280 acres once this is constructed.”
— Ryan McCrady, CEO, Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance
What’s next
The Sangamon County Board is scheduled to hold a final vote on the data center project on March 23, 2026.
The takeaway
The data center debate in Sangamon County highlights the ongoing tensions between economic development and community concerns, as local governments must balance the potential benefits of new business investments against the worries of residents about long-term impacts on their community.
