Mayor's Support For Quantum Campus Irks Some South Siders: 'Shut It Down, Mayor Johnson'
Mayor Brandon Johnson faced strong opposition at a town hall meeting in South Chicago regarding his support for the Quantum Shore megadevelopment, which includes a hyperscale data center. Residents called for permits to be reversed, citing environmental concerns and potential utility cost increases. Johnson reiterated his call for a moratorium on new data centers and highlighted an executive order strengthening regulatory processes.
Mayor Brandon Johnson encountered significant backlash at a community town hall in South Chicago hosted by the advocacy group Southside Together. The event focused on the controversial $9 billion Quantum Shore megadevelopment, planned for the former U.S. Steel South Works site, which includes a hyperscale data center. Residents, chanting "Reverse the permits. Shut it down. Mayor Johnson, do it now," expressed their frustration with the mayor's continued support for the project.
Johnson, despite the jeers and boos, did not commit to halting the project. Instead, he emphasized his call for a moratorium on new data centers and referenced a recent executive order he signed, aimed at strengthening Chicago's procurement and regulatory processes for development, linking innovation to environmental justice and public health.
The Quantum Shore project, led by Related Midwest and including a hyperscale data center by Related Digital, involves companies such as PsiQuantum, IBM, and Infleqtion, alongside federal and state entities. It has garnered support from various local and state officials, including Gov. JB Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, and is slated to receive substantial public funding.
Opponents, like Southside Together members Lia Terrell and Reneé Redmond, argue the development poses environmental risks, could lead to increased utility bills and displacement, and suggest funds would be better used for community-driven projects. They are urging Johnson to revoke permits, withhold future approvals, end tax rebates, and publicly oppose the project, with a rally planned for September 12. Johnson affirmed site remediation efforts would continue, but the mayor's office clarified that no data center is currently planned as part of the campus and there is no pending license application for a data center site.