Festus contingent joins Capitol data center protest
Residents from Festus, Missouri, participated in a rally at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City to protest a proposed $6 billion hyperscale data center by CRG and call for a statewide moratorium on data center developments. The protest highlights ongoing local opposition in Festus, which includes concerns about noise, utility costs, water usage, and property values, as well as a filed lawsuit seeking to halt the project. Festus officials have not yet placed a moratorium discussion on the City Council agenda despite citizen requests.
A significant rally, dubbed "People's Hearing on A.I. Data Centers," took place on September 16 at the Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, drawing approximately 400 attendees from across Missouri. Organized by the Missouri Rural Crisis Center and the Missouri Workers Center, the event served as a "start of a push to get the attention of our legislators" to enact a statewide moratorium on data center projects, according to Gabe Cotton, a Festus resident and rally speaker.
A contingent of about 15 Festus residents participated, voicing strong opposition to a proposed $6 billion hyperscale data center development by CRG. The project, planned for 361 acres north of Hwy. 67 and west of Hwy. CC, was announced in late 2025 by CRG, the St. Louis-based data center development arm of Clayco. Opponents, including Cotton, have consistently raised concerns at Festus City Council meetings regarding excessive noise, increased utility costs, potential impacts on local aquifers from on-site well drilling, and declining property values, arguing the facility would offer no positive long-term benefits to the community. CRG representatives have previously disputed these assertions.
The Festus project has ignited considerable controversy, leading to the defeat of four council members in the April 2026 election and the resignation of another. Residents initiated recall petitions against Mayor Sam Richards and other council members, which were certified by the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office, but the council voted against holding these elections. A lawsuit, Wake Up Jeffco LLC et al. v. City of Festus, Missouri and CRG Acquisition LLC, was filed on April 8 in St. Louis County Circuit Court by property owners near the site, seeking to stop the project; this legal action is ongoing.
Despite requests from newly elected council members Karl Weekley, Dan Moore, and Rick Belleville in July to discuss a data center moratorium, Mayor Richards has yet to add the item to a council meeting agenda, citing a need for further research. Protesters at the Capitol rally, including Cotton, reiterated the call for an immediate moratorium to protect Missouri towns and ensure residents' democratic voice in development processes.