Chicago Construction News staff writer
Sangamon County has launched a new informational website to give residents clear, accessible details about the proposed CyrusOne data center project—including projected job impacts, documentation from recent public hearings, and a schedule of upcoming meetings.
If approved, the project will create more than 500 construction jobs with and each building will take 12 to 18 months to build. All trades will be needed, with labor unions prioritized and a project labor agreement has been signed with local labor unions, the company said in a presentation.
According to an August 2025 report published by McKinsey & Company report, “for every job inside a data center an extra estimated 3.5 jobs are created in the surrounding economy (such as through upgrades to supporting infrastructure).”
The new website includes a detailed Q&A section with responses from Sangamon County officials, CyrusOne, the Springfield-Sangamon Growth Alliance, and local electric providers. It also features links to news reports, public documents, hearing materials, and a contact form for residents to submit additional questions. County officials say the page will be updated frequently as new information becomes available.
A public hearing on the proposed data center was held Dec. 3 at the Bank of Springfield Center. The session included presentations from supporters and opponents of the project, followed by public comment opportunities. Presentation slides, audio recordings, and comments submitted by residents are posted on the county’s news page.
County officials emphasized that they are continuing to collect questions from the public and are working with project partners to provide accurate and transparent responses. As more data, studies, and feedback become available, the information will be updated to reflect the latest findings.
CyrusOne, the project developer, is a global data center owner and operator with more than 55 facilities across the United States, Europe, and Japan. The company already has multiple operational and planned sites in Illinois, representing more than $1.2 billion in investment. Data centers support the digital infrastructure behind telecommunications, streaming, emergency services, telehealth, and other essential functions.
Residents can continue to comment on the proposal at regularly scheduled Sangamon County Board meetings and at sessions of the Zoning and Land Use Committee and Zoning Board of Appeals throughout November, December, and January. County officials say these meetings, along with the completed Dec. 3 hearing, provide multiple avenues for public involvement as the review process continues.
