No plans yet submitted for proposed Festus data center project; civil lawsuits loom
Despite significant local opposition and a pending civil lawsuit, CRG of St. Louis has not yet submitted formal plans or permit requests for its proposed data center project in Festus, Missouri. Festus city officials confirm no new submissions, while residents continue their fight against the development after failed recall petitions against supportive council members. Opponents have filed a lawsuit in St. Louis County Circuit Court to halt the project.
CRG of St. Louis, the developer behind a proposed hyperscale data center in Festus, Missouri, has yet to submit any official plans or permit requests for the project, according to city officials including Mayor Sam Richards and Building and Planning Director Jim Walker. Despite this, CRG Vice President Tim O’Connell affirmed the company's commitment to the $6 billion project and its intention to address community concerns through design improvements, seeking collaboration with local representatives.
Meanwhile, local opposition remains active and intensified. Residents, organized under groups like Wake Up Jeffco, are pursuing a civil lawsuit filed in St. Louis County Circuit Court on April 8, naming the City of Festus and CRG Acquisition LLC as defendants, seeking to stop the development. This legal action follows the Festus City Council's recent rejection of recall election petitions against Mayor Richards and three city council members (Dave Boyer, Kevin Dennis, Mike Cook) who supported the data center project. Opposition members, including Erica Carter and Lori Merriman, indicated they are exploring