In the face of fierce public opposition, a nonprofit is quietly ushering local officials on exclusive tours of massive data centers, raising questions about transparency and the future of St. Louis. But here's where it gets controversial: these trips, organized by Greater St. Louis Inc., aim to sway public opinion by showcasing the alleged benefits of data centers, despite growing concerns about their environmental impact and community disruption.
As debates over data center proposals heated up across the St. Louis region, Greater St. Louis Inc., a nonprofit focused on economic growth, took a unique approach: they organized multiple trips for public officials and Ameren employees to visit state-of-the-art hyperscale data centers. One such trip, in December, brought officials from Missouri and Illinois communities to a Google data center in Nebraska. Among the attendees were representatives from Troy and Madison County in Illinois, and Festus and Jefferson County in Missouri.
Festus City Administrator Greg Camp, who ultimately did not attend, described the trip's purpose in a November email as an opportunity for officials to “witness firsthand the potential impact of a data center on their community, enabling them to make informed decisions about future proposals.” Greater St. Louis Inc. covered hotel and transportation costs, while officials paid for their own flights, according to documents obtained by STLPR.
The delegation included Madison County Board Chairman Chris Slusser, Economic Development Director Cathy Hamilton, Granite City Mayor Mike Parkinson, Troy City Administrator Jay Keeven, Jefferson County Executive Dennis Gannon, and Festus City Council member Jim Trinnin. Three Ameren employees from Missouri and Illinois also joined the trip.
And this is the part most people miss: upon arrival at the Google data center, officials were required to sign nondisclosure agreements. The tour included a presentation, Q&A session, and lunch with Google representatives, but notably excluded access to the actual data floor, deemed “highly confidential.” The group also visited a second, under-construction site.
In a post-trip email, Madison County’s Hamilton thanked a Nebraska official for his time, acknowledging the negative perception surrounding data centers in the St. Louis region. “Your insights helped our leaders see beyond the misinformation and recognize the potential benefits of data centers for our area,” she wrote.
Slusser, in a press release, admitted to initially sharing public concerns about noise, water usage, power demands, and pollution. “Visiting a data center in person allowed me to move from reacting to leading,” he said. However, Slusser did not respond to multiple requests for comment from STLPR.
Greater St. Louis Inc. has not disclosed the total number of trips or participating officials, but their communications lead, Tony Wyche, confirmed organizing visits to regional data centers. “Our goal is to educate stakeholders about economic development projects, ensuring decisions are based on firsthand information,” Wyche explained.
Ameren, a key player in these trips, stands to profit significantly from data centers moving into its service areas. In a November earnings call, Ameren Missouri CEO Marty Lyons revealed that data center developers have already paid the company $38 million in nonrefundable fees for transmission upgrades. Lyons also noted that construction agreements total 3GW of power, necessitating new power plants to meet demand.
Here’s the million-dollar question: Are these trips a genuine effort to educate officials, or a strategic move to sway public opinion in favor of data centers? Greater St. Louis Inc.’s Maggie Kost, speaking at an August meeting in St. Charles, emphasized data centers as vital to economic development, promising millions in tax revenue. However, public pushback led to the project being temporarily shelved, though the developer plans to resubmit a revised proposal.
STLPR later uncovered documents linking the St. Charles data center to Google, adding another layer of complexity to the issue. With proposals emerging in Festus, Troy, and other areas, officials like Troy’s Keeven remain undecided. “I left the trip with a better understanding but still have many questions,” Keeven admitted. “This is uncharted territory for us.”
In Festus, a $6 billion proposal by CRG sparked public outrage, while in Troy, Cloverleaf Infrastructure’s plan for three data centers, potentially costing over $1 billion, has yet to be formally submitted.
As the debate rages on, one thing is clear: the push for data centers in the St. Louis region is far from over. But at what cost? We want to hear from you: Do the economic benefits of data centers outweigh their environmental and community impacts? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
