Urbana City Schools releases statement about data center

The Urbana City Schools District issued a statement on April 2, 2026, to address inquiries from residents regarding a proposed data center development in Urbana. The potential data center is slated for a location across from the Urbana Junior High and Elementary School building. Superintendent Charles Thiel stated that the District has not received any information regarding the project beyond what has been publicly reported. He also clarified that the information circulated about potential revenue for the school district came from a development team's information sheet, and no official details or commitments on revenue have been shared with the District. The Urbana Director of Administration, Spencer Mitchell, has contacted the District about participating in a Data Center Oversight Committee, to which Superintendent Thiel has agreed to serve as the District's representative. The City of Urbana has confirmed that negotiations for a potential Community Reinvestment Area (CRA) agreement, which would involve the school district, have not yet commenced. The District expects to be contacted if and when such negotiations are initiated. Finally, the District emphasized that the proposed data center project has no bearing on the current need for additional revenue for the District, as proposed through the 1% Earned Income Tax on the May 5, 2026, ballot.