Bloomington City Council hears concerns over potential data center

Image courtesy of the City of Bloomington

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. – The Bloomington City Council met for its biweekly meeting Monday night to discuss agenda items for the city.

One item postponed from this week’s agenda was a proposal for a data center. Data centers store digital information and may incorporate the use of artificial intelligence.

Public comment on citywide topics, including the data center, took place after the Pledge of Allegiance, roll call and a proclamation recognizing 2026 Community Development Week.

The public comment period allowed speakers to share their thoughts for up to three minutes without a response from the council. Many speakers used their time to discuss the proposed data center, despite its absence from the agenda.

“Water concerns, air concerns, noise pollution, climate concerns, energy prices, energy concerns,” resident Katherine Sheck said. “Basically, data centers have never been profitable. They don’t create significant numbers of long-term jobs.”

Sheck said the lack of jobs the center may provide would not be a long-term investment for the city.

“It’s going to ruin our community in the process,” Sheck said.

Another speaker, Katherine Petty, also opposed the development plan, citing concerns about farmland and resources.

“Adding additional industrial areas will increase our water use, generally assumed to be over 20% higher than other uses, something Bloomington does not have a lot of,” Petty said.

The council heard from 11 speakers who addressed various concerns. Details surrounding the data center are expected to be voted on at upcoming meetings.

The Bloomington City Council meets at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Mondays of each month.