'It's done': Developer withdraws Pekin data center proposal

Western Hospitality Partners has officially withdrawn its proposal to construct a data center in Pekin, Illinois, requesting the return of its $85,000 deposit. The developer's decision mirrors the city's intent to terminate the agreement, as confirmed by Pekin city attorney James Vasselli, who stated, "This contract is over. It’s terminated. It’s done. We have to return the earnest money." The proposed data center project had encountered significant resistance from Pekin residents, a factor that influenced the city's ultimate decision to discontinue the development. Pekin Mayor Mary Burress acknowledged the community's input, stating, "We were put in this position to listen and try to make the best decision we can." Prior to the withdrawal, the Pekin City Council had authorized the purchase of the 1,000-acre Lutticken Farm property for $14 million in July 2024 and approved the sale of approximately 321 acres of that land to Western Hospitality Partners for $4.5 million in April of the previous year. This is not the first time Western Hospitality Partners has faced such a scenario; the New York-based developer also withdrew a multi-billion dollar data center proposal in Oldham County, Kentucky, last March, following community opposition and a subsequent 150-day moratorium on data center applications enacted by the Oldham County Fiscal Court.