Sangamon County, Illinois, Approves $500M Data Center After Heated Debate
Critics warn the project could strain local resources while offering limited long-term benefits
April 10, 2026 – The Sangamon County, Illinois, Board approved a $500 million data center project Tuesday at the Bank of Springfield Center Illinois, voting 17 to 10 with one abstention after weeks of delays and sustained public opposition.
The vote allows CyrusOne, a Dallas-based data center company, to move forward with plans for a data center campus on 280 acres of farmland in Talkington Township. The facility would support growing demand for cloud computing and artificial intelligence services.
The project still requires additional permits before construction, but the vote clears a major hurdle for CyrusOne’s plans in central Illinois.
