Council votes to delay Project Taurus data center decision
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios
The Colorado Springs City Council agreed Thursday to delay a decision on the Project Taurus data center for seven months after a rowdy 11-hour hearing in which police used a stun gun to subdue an audience member and others shouted profanity and threats at city officials.
Why it matters: The uproar demonstrated how the intense opposition to data centers in Colorado — and nationwide — has become a political flashpoint and a proxy for broader fears about artificial intelligence.
Driving the news: Seven of the council's nine members backed delaying a decision until April 13, 2027 — after the municipal election — to allow time for additional studies and new guidelines before making a call on the controversial development.
- A push to force a March 5 vote — before the election — failed 3–6.
What they're saying: "We are not ready," said Councilmember Roland Rainey, who proposed the April delay.
Catch up quick: City planning staff initially approved the data center, but residents appealed. The Planning Commission rejected those appeals in July, prompting opponents to take their case to the council.
The big picture: Colorado Springs has become a focal point in the statewide debate as communities take divergent approaches to data centers.
- The facility, developed by California-based Raeden, would use 50 megawatts of power and 200,000 gallons of water for cooling.
Zoom in: Raeden president and co-founder Jason Green told the council his company planned to go "way above and beyond" to address community concerns.
- He vowed to mitigate the data center's community impact with insulation against noise and ensure its heavy electricity use wouldn't raise local utility bills.
Supporters in the audience, led by the local chamber of commerce, touted the benefits to the community's tax base and business environment.
- "Follow the facts, not the emotion. Deny this appeal," said Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, the chamber's president and CEO.
Yes, but: About 100 people registered to speak against the project.
Opponents cited technical violations of development rules and studies about noise concerns, calling it "a serious problem [that] deserves serious consideration."
- Project critics dominated the conversation by interrupting opponents and threatening council members with electoral retribution during public comment.
- At one point, Councilmember David Leinweber told disruptors to "shut up."
The intrigue: Partway through public testimony, an audience member became involved in an altercation with Colorado Springs police, who used a stun gun to subdue him. The unidentified man appeared to be helping a woman who tried to speak out of turn.
- A short break didn't cool tempers. The meeting adjourned just before 7pm with an audience member shouting, "Fuck you," at Green, the Raeden CEO.