County Board to Vote on Proposed CyrusOne Data Center

The Sangamon County Board will meet Monday, March 23 at 6 p.m. at the Bank of Springfield Center, where members are expected to vote on whether to approve a proposed CyrusOne data center facility in Talkington Township.

In advance of the meeting, Sangamon County professional staff have compiled background materials intended to inform both board members and the public. This includes a staff report and a question-and-answer document addressing key aspects of the proposed facility, such as zoning considerations, infrastructure, economic impact, and public safety. Those materials are available on the county’s website at Sangamon County Data Center Information Page.

The proposed development has drawn significant attention in recent months as part of a broader discussion about large-scale data center projects and their potential impact on local communities. The CyrusOne proposal involves a roughly $500 million investment to construct a multi-building data center campus on farmland in Talkington Township, which would represent the first data center in Sangamon County.

As previously reported, the County Board considered but ultimately declined to adopt a moratorium on data center developments, allowing the CyrusOne proposal to continue moving forward through the standard zoning and approval process. Research completed by the Sangamon County state’s attorney’s office concluded that the county lacked the authority to pass a binding moratorium.

The project has generated both support and opposition, with discussions focusing on issues including land use compatibility, tax revenue projections, infrastructure demands, and environmental considerations. Supporters have pointed to potential economic benefits such as job creation and increased property tax revenue, while opponents have raised concerns about impacts on farmland, utilities, and long-term community effects.

The Sangamon County Zoning Board of Appeals voted 5-0 to recommend approval, finding that the project met all applicable county zoning guidelines and land use requirements.