The small town of Osawatomie takes a big swing on a data center; one estimate has city gaining $30M a year

The town of Osawatomie, Kansas, a community grappling with economic decline after the departure of the railroad business, is now evaluating a proposal for a large data center. City Manager Bret Glendenning views the project as a "massive" opportunity, with developers promising to inject up to $30 million annually into the city, $10 million for the school district, and an additional $10 million for the county through fees, sales, and property taxes, potentially alleviating the high property tax burden on residents.

MDH Partners, an Atlanta-based firm, is financing the proposal for a mid-sized data center to be built in a business park on the edge of town. Charles Tinsley, a vice president with MDH Partners, stated the facility would primarily "print money for the city" without demanding extensive municipal services or adding students to classrooms. The project envisions a gradual buildout over at least six years, covering up to 200 football fields and employing about 90 people, with developers securing land and permits to attract a future tech company.

Despite the economic incentives, the proposal has sparked considerable local opposition, with "NO DATA CENTERS" signs appearing and a recent city council meeting lasting four hours as residents voiced concerns. Opponents, including resident Lee Brewer and retired engineer John Fletcher, are worried about the data center's potential strain on the city's water supply (estimated at 80,000 gallons per day), electricity grid, and noise pollution, as well as broader implications for personal liberties if the facility stores data from surveillance technologies like license plate readers. The Osawatomie City Planning Commission is currently reviewing the project before it can be presented to the City Council for a vote.