Hobart data center open house answers some questions but not all
News ClipChicago Tribune·Hobart, Lake County, IN·5/1/2026
Amazon hosted an open house in Hobart, Indiana, for its planned $15 billion data center, which will include 23 buildings. Residents, including members of the 'No Data Center Hobart' group, raised concerns about water usage, contaminants, and the project's rapid progression, with some feeling pushed out of the community. The project faces a Hobart Plan Commission hearing on May 7 for a zone change and site plan review, and several lawsuits have already been filed against it.
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Amazon
Gov: Hobart Plan Commission, Hobart Mayor Josh Huddlestun
Amazon held a community open house at Hobart High School in Indiana for its proposed $15 billion data center project, which involves constructing 23 data center buildings, each 220,000 square feet. The event, featuring booths and Amazon experts, aimed to address resident questions, but many attendees, including active members of the 'No Data Center Hobart' group, expressed dissatisfaction with the answers received. Residents like Alice Pawlowski and Angelita Soriano, a group leader and plaintiff in a lawsuit against the project, felt critical questions, particularly regarding water usage and potential contaminants, remained unresolved.
Scott Eckhardt, principal economic development for Amazon Web Services (AWS), stated the company aims to