Group aiming to put data center issue on November ballot in Perry Village
A grassroots organization, Protect Perry and Lake Erie (PPLE), is collecting signatures to put a data center ordinance on Perry Village's November ballot. The proposed ordinance would require data center developers seeking tax incentives to provide financial guarantees. This initiative comes as Province, Group seeks village approval to build a data center campus on the former Champion Farm property.
A grassroots organization, Protect Perry and Lake Erie (PPLE), is spearheading an effort to place a data center initiative on Perry Village, Ohio's November 3 election ballot. The group has begun circulating petitions to gather the required 76 signatures from registered village voters by an August 5 deadline. The proposed ordinance seeks to mandate that any hyperscale data center developer requesting tax abatements or special tax incentives from Perry Village provide enforceable financial guarantees. These guarantees would ensure promised jobs, tax revenue, and community benefits are backed by a financial bond and would establish noise standards.
This initiative emerges amidst a proposal by Province, Group, a California-based real estate investment and development company, to construct a data center campus on approximately 217 acres of the former Champion Farm property. The project envisions six 200,000-square-foot, 65-foot-tall buildings. Province has entered into sales agreements for parcels owned by Perry Village, Perry Township, and the Perry Joint Economic Development District, though these transactions are not yet complete. Province CEO Mark Kerslake projected over $326 million in property tax revenue over 31 years, including a 15-year, 75 percent tax abatement, and additional PILOT payments totaling around $8 million, excluding the Perry School District.
However, the project faces significant opposition from many Perry area residents who have expressed concerns at Village Council meetings and on social media. Opponents cite potential environmental harm, excessive light and noise, and the facility's unsuitability for a small, primarily residential community. As of now, the Perry Village Council has not approved Province's tax abatement request or PILOT program proposals. PPLE Chairman John Nicely expressed confidence in the petition drive's success, stating the group supports economic development but prioritizes ensuring Perry Village and its entities receive a fair share of revenue from any development on the Champion Farm property.