Residents file suit against Independence after city rejects data center petition

News Clip2:04KSHB 41·Independence, Jackson County, MO·3/11/2026

Residents of Independence, Missouri have filed a lawsuit against the city after the city council approved tax incentives for a data center project by the Dutch AI company Nebius. The residents are seeking to put the data center project to a public vote, but the city has rejected their petition citing an exception in the city charter. The lawsuit will determine whether the residents can force a public vote on the project.

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Gov: Independence City Council
Opponents of the construction of a data center approved by the Independence City Council filed a lawsuit Monday that seeks approval of an election where voters would decide the data center's fate.