Attorney tells Pekin City Council its votes will determine ultimate fate of controversial data center

The proposed data center project in Pekin, spearheaded by developer Western Hospitality Partners (WHP), is facing significant opposition and legal scrutiny from the city. City Attorney Jim Vasselli informed the Pekin City Council and a large audience of opponents that the project is not yet dead, but a legal process to void the contract between the city and WHP must still unfold. This comes after Mayor Mary Burress publicly announced the city's intention to halt the project. Vasselli stressed that WHP requires zoning and site plan approvals before any construction can commence, noting that the property is currently zoned light industrial and does not permit a data center under existing local, county, or state law. He confirmed that WHP must be allowed to submit applications for these changes, which the council would then vote on, along with any redevelopment incentives. Four of the six council members, Jake Fletcher, Rick Hilst, Dave Nutter, and Peg Phillips, along with Mayor Burress, have publicly voiced their opposition to the project. Vasselli assured the council that their votes on these matters could reflect their conscience. He is slated to report back to the council on April 13 regarding WHP's plans for submitting zoning applications and will also investigate allegations that WHP violated the contract by failing to provide $50,000 in earnest money in a timely manner. The city council unanimously passed a resolution requesting Vasselli's review of the city's contractual obligations and contingencies. Public comment during the meeting was overwhelmingly against the data center, with speakers expressing concerns about noise, potential lawsuits, and suggesting alternative uses for the land.