Hammond data center project ends; Indiana AG threatens lawsuit against Merrillville
A large data center expansion project in Hammond, Indiana, involving Decennial Group and CoreWeave, has been canceled after failing to meet crucial agreement deadlines, including a power supply deal with NIPSCO. Separately, the Indiana Attorney General has threatened legal action against the Town of Merrillville over a resolution opposing ICE warehouses.
A significant data center expansion project in Hammond, Indiana, has concluded after a deal between Decennial Group, CoreWeave, the City of Hammond, and the Hammond Redevelopment Commission expired. The proposed $7 billion, 450,000-square-foot expansion of the Digital Crossroads data center failed to meet its June 30 deadline for various agreements, including a power supply contract with NIPSCO and a lease agreement with a prospective tenant. Hammond leaders had previously requested two extensions to the original deadline, but the specific unmet requirements that led to the deal's termination were not disclosed by the city.
In a separate development, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita has threatened legal action against the Town of Merrillville if it does not rescind a resolution, passed in January, that opposes ICE warehouses. Rokita asserts that the resolution violates a state law prohibiting governmental bodies from restricting the enforcement of federal immigration laws and has set a July 15 deadline for compliance. The Town of Merrillville has responded by stating its resolution is merely an expression of opinion protected by the First Amendment and the Indiana Constitution, suggesting a legal battle between the town and the state is likely.