Group airs pro-data center ads in attempt to counter misconceptions
[October 22, 2026]
By Sean Reed | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – Signs reading “no data center” still pepper some
Sangamon County neighborhoods months after the county board approved a
data center after hours of contentious public input.
To counter public mistrust in the approved CyrusOne data center, the
Springfield Sangamon Growth Alliance – a public-private economic
development organization – is attempting to correct some local worries.
Ryan McCrady, president and CEO of the alliance, told The Center Square
the organization’s “Get the Facts SPI” campaign features digital ads.
“I believe there's just a lot in the atmosphere right now about data
centers. And so we felt like people were being very influenced by a lot
of information out there,” McCrady said. “What that tells us is that the
facts haven't penetrated into our local community yet.”
One of the key factors McCrady said would benefit the community is
increased property tax income, as the property will go from generating
$30,000 per year to $6.5 million.
He also noted that the project isn’t getting any tax incentives, which
is partly a result of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s executive order pausing them
while the General Assembly works to pass statewide regulations.
Pritzker said priority legislation that can pass with a supermajority
vote should be focused on during the upcoming six-day veto session, such
as his proposed regulatory package, the POWER Act, which didn’t pass in
the spring.
“I would like to set expectations low, because generally speaking, we
don't get a lot done in a veto session just because it's so, so short,”
Pritzker said. “It's unlikely we'll have a whole slate of legislation.
It'll just be a few specific items that get brought up.”
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McCrady said the project will create 500 long-term temporary
construction jobs, which the developer has agreed will be filled by
local employees. He also said after the construction, expected to
take four to five years, the data center will employ 100 more
permanently.
Residents have expressed concern that the project could impact
utility rates and potentially use a significant amount of water.
“This is a closed loop cooling system. The only water they're going
to be using is what it takes for employees to wash their hands, use
the restroom, or use the break room. 1,100 gallons a day is a very
minimal amount of water,” McCrady said.
Unlike in other communities, there is no moratorium or data center
approval on the ballot, though county board officials who approved
the project in April face reelection on Nov. 3.
“We think it's important because we want [residents] to know that
the local elected officials who made decisions on this project, did
it based on factual information,” McCrady said.
While the Growth Alliance receives $500,000 annually in public
funding, McCrady maintained the campaign – which has already gained
1 million views on its YouTube ad – is funded by business interests,
not taxpayer dollars, and falls within their regular advertising
budget. |
