Missouri Developer Faces Opposition and Legal Setbacks Over Data Center Plans
Developer Trent Overhue is facing growing opposition to his data center plans in southwest Missouri, including protests and criticism from residents and local candidates. He sued the city of Springfield over its 120-day moratorium on data center applications, but a Greene County judge denied his request to halt the moratorium.
Trent Overhue has become a central figure in southwest Missouri’s contentious data center debate. He has built a facility near Marshfield, is pursuing a project at 2900 S. National Avenue in Springfield, and is planning another in Benton County. About 60 residents protested what they described as the unregulated growth of artificial-intelligence data centers outside Plaza Towers in Springfield in June 2026.
Overhue’s partner at Lumon Solutions, Ashton Owens, defended him as a capable developer who has tried to address public concerns. Critics, including Webster County political candidate Gail Peak-Brown, have challenged the projects, while Overhue has filed multiple lawsuits, including an action against Springfield over the city’s 120-day moratorium on data center projects. On Oct. 23, a Greene County judge denied Overhue’s request for a temporary restraining order, leaving the moratorium in place.