At a recent joint meeting of the Lincoln County Commission and the Sioux Falls City Council, a simple vote on a 25-year growth plan was transformed into a referendum on data center development across the region. One politically-savvy commissioner proposed a moratorium on building new data centers. He’s not alone. A wave of Democrat state legislative candidates recently launched a campaign effort calling for a moratorium.
Both Republicans and Democrats recognize where today’s political winds are blowing.
In reality, this debate shouldn’t be about whether we build data centers but how we build them, and ensuring they benefit our people and communities. Communities that engage with these projects are dictating terms and scoring big wins for their residents. As Sioux Falls Mayor Christine Erickson recently noted, having a seat at the table benefits the community.
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