As Nebius breaks ground in Independence, who’s on the community advisory board?
Construction has begun on a $150 billion AI data center in Independence, Missouri, by Dutch company Nebius. The city approved a significant tax break package for the project, leading to local opposition, a lawsuit, and the symbolic submission of a petition. A new community advisory board has been established to manage the public relationship with Nebius.
Construction has commenced on a $150 billion artificial intelligence data center in Independence, Missouri, a project spearheaded by the Dutch AI firm Nebius. The site is located on Bly Road in northeastern Independence.
In March, the Independence City Council approved a financial package totaling $6 billion for Nebius, which includes 90-98% tax breaks. In return, the city is expected to receive approximately $650,000 in fees for local schools, libraries, and other taxing jurisdictions. To support the data center, city officials have also paved the way for a local power plant to reopen at nine times its previous capacity, fueled by natural gas, to directly serve the facility.
Following these developments, the city has appointed seven residents to form the Nebius Community Advisory Board. This board, a condition of Nebius' lease, is intended to facilitate communication between the company and the community, allowing for suggestions and feedback. Mayor Kevin King and each city councilmember appointed one person to the inaugural board, whose members will serve until December 2031, coinciding with the initial term of the lease.
The project and its associated tax breaks have faced significant local opposition, notably from groups like Stop The AI Data Center in Independence and the Independence Guardians Unite Against Reckless Development Alliance (GUARD Alliance). One board member, Misty Vaughn, was among three plaintiffs who filed a lawsuit against the city, seeking to make the tax breaks eligible for a public referendum. Although a Jackson County judge ruled the financial package was not eligible for a referendum under the city charter, organizers still symbolically submitted over 5,000 signatures. The GUARD Alliance has also drafted an ordinance proposing a moratorium on future data centers in Independence and submitted it to the city council for consideration.