Chicago Quantum Computing Hub to Include Gigawatt Data Center, Faces Community Opposition
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and his sister Penny Pritzker have spearheaded a quantum computing megadevelopment, the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), on Chicago's southeast side. Despite community opposition over environmental concerns, job displacement, and lack of transparency, the project, including a massive one-plus gigawatt data center, received quick approvals and significant public funding. Developers, particularly Related Midwest and its subsidiary Related Digital, have been criticized for not openly discussing the data center component with residents.
Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker and his sister Penny Pritzker have actively championed the development of a quantum computing megadevelopment in South Chicago, aiming to transform the city into a global hub for quantum technology. This initiative, part of a broader 'Burnham Plan for Tech,' culminated in the selection of the former U.S. Steel South Works site for the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park (IQMP), featuring Palo Alto-based PsiQuantum and funded in part by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD).
The project, however, has drawn significant opposition from southeast-side residents and community groups like Southside Together and the South Works Community Benefits Agreement (CBA). Critics, including South Shore resident Andrew Torrence, express concerns about potential negative environmental impacts, the immense energy demands (estimated at one gigawatt for the data center alone), lack of local job opportunities, and displacement from their neighborhoods. They contend that public officials and developers like Related Midwest have prioritized speed and private investment over community engagement and transparency, particularly regarding a planned one-plus gigawatt data center on the northern side of the 440-acre site, which was not openly discussed in public meetings.
Despite community concerns, the project, involving developers Related Midwest and CRG, received swift approval, including rezoning, from the City Council in December 2024. Significant public incentives, including $200 million in tax breaks and grants from the state and Cook County, and an additional $5 million from the City of Chicago, were committed to lure PsiQuantum and other tech companies. Cook County also approved a new property tax incentive, lowering the rate for the quantum computing campus from 25 percent to 10 percent.
While Related Midwest publicly announced the data center through a subsidiary, Related Digital, and it appears on industry maps, the developer has largely avoided discussing it in community meetings or responding directly to media inquiries. Organizers highlight that residents often learned about project details, including the data center, only after tax breaks were granted and key decisions made, leading to accusations of a top-down approach that mirrors historical patterns of exploitation in working-class communities.