Urbana Council takes no action on Thor agreement
Urbana City Council took no action on a proposed settlement with Thor Equities over the company’s planned data center project. The matter remains pending after city voters approved a charter amendment banning data centers within Urbana, while the proposed agreement would allow Thor’s project to proceed under earlier regulations and fund environmental, water and sewer-related measures.
The Urbana City Council did not vote on a proposed settlement with Thor Equities concerning its planned data center project. The resolution was mistakenly believed to have been tabled during an earlier meeting, but council determined that five votes were required, meaning the measure must proceed through three readings. Council is expected to revisit it Nov. 17 or potentially defer it until December.
The proposed agreement would allow Thor to develop up to 2 million square feet of data center and related space under regulations in effect on Feb. 13, 2026. In exchange, Thor would pay Urbana $50 million in phased payments, fund an independent study of impacts on Cedar Bog, water use and wastewater services, and contribute to infrastructure improvements based on its actual usage. The agreement would also resolve the company’s lawsuit and related state court appeal, but city voters approved a charter amendment banning data centers within Urbana on election day, creating uncertainty over the project’s future.