$1 billion Kansas data center plan swells to 283 acres as hundreds oppose it

A proposed $1 billion data center in Osawatomie, Kansas, is facing intensified scrutiny after residents packed a city council meeting in opposition and developers revealed that the site would span 283 acres.

The dispute mirrors a broader debate playing out in communities across the country as rapidly expanding digital infrastructure collides with local concerns over land use, utility demand, and quality of life.

What happened?

On May 29, Alcove Development revealed that its Osawatomie proposal, known as Project Catalyst, would cover a footprint almost three times as large as previously outlined, KSHB 41 reported.

Alcove says the campus could bring the city at least $30 million a year, along with more than $10 million annually for Miami County and over $10 million each year for the local school district.

According to KSHB 41, those details came after a crowded city council meeting wherein many residents spoke against the plan. 

The original pre-development agreement said the project would create jobs during construction and more than 90 full-time roles upon completion.

"Project Catalyst has the potential to reshape the economic future of this community for generations to come," principal GW Weld said.

Still, nearby residents said the expected economic benefits still do not outweigh the project's possible drawbacks.

Why does it matter?

Data centers are increasingly essential to artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and many of the apps people rely on every day.

However, these facilities also demand vast amounts of electricity, land, and, in some cases, water. AI can improve efficiency and support cleaner energy systems, but the infrastructure behind it can also strain the grid; raise utility bills; and introduce concerns regarding water use, security, and broader societal effects.

In Osawatomie, those worries have become especially sharp.

"They're willing to sell out people for a data center," resident Jacob Ginsberg told KSHB in February. "Between light pollution, water consumption, [and] electricity, I'm worried about my utility bills."

Alcove says the project, not residents or Evergy customers, would cover needed transmission, substation, and generation upgrades.

The company also said the site would use a full air-cooled design and that routine water use would mostly be for restrooms and handwashing, "comparable to a standard office building," KSHB 41 reported.

What are people saying?

Residents remain firmly opposed to the development.

"If they want to build something else out here besides a data center and power plant, let's do it and let's find another project that benefits the city," said Troy Harp, who lives next to the site.

Lee Brewer told KSHB 41: "I think we need a new city council after this. If we end up with a data center, it's gonna hurt us so bad."

At the same time, city leaders have embraced the proposal.

"The City of Osawatomie is excited about the opportunity this project represents for our community," Mayor Nick Hampson said.

Yellowstone actor and Miami County resident Mo Brings Plenty also weighed in.

"If these data centers are so safe, then why are the people who are investing in them putting them so far away from themselves?" he questioned.

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