Group airs pro-data center ads in attempt to counter misconceptions
(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.”
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.
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