Residents bring objections to the idea of a data center to Bloomington City Council

Bloomington, Illinois residents voiced strong opposition to a perceived data center development during a recent City Council meeting. Ten of the eleven public speakers raised concerns about a potential project on 375 acres south of the Central Illinois Regional Airport. Residents, including Katherine Scheck and Alan Leger, questioned the profitability and limited job creation associated with data centers. Leger referred to large-scale AI data centers as "parasites on local infrastructure" that offer no significant benefit to the community. Sarah Adelman highlighted the burden on infrastructure, high water usage, potential pollution, and increased energy costs, particularly in light of recent drought conditions. Bloomington Mayor Dan Brady announced that a three-party agreement between the city, Central Illinois Regional Airport, and CES Farm, LLC, concerning the land, was removed from the night's consent agenda due to public feedback. This agreement aimed to allow Bloomington to apply for an Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) site readiness planning grant for an "industrial park" or "technology park" designation. Despite the immediate removal, Mayor Brady confirmed that the matter would be brought before the council for future consideration, indicating that the discussion around the potential development is ongoing.