Residents file lawsuit against Independence after city rejects petition in battle over hyperscale data center

Residents of Independence, Missouri have filed a lawsuit against the city after the city council approved a tax abatement for a large data center project. The Stop the AI Data Center in Independence group gathered signatures and filed an intent to seek a referendum on the council's decision, but the city denied the petition saying it violated the city charter. The data center project, which would occupy nearly 400 acres in the Little Blue Valley, has faced opposition from some residents who hoped to give voters a chance to override the council's 5-2 approval vote.