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Public opposition to a proposed data center along Garden of the Gods Road overflowed a community meeting Tuesday night, forcing plans for a larger follow-up.

Why it matters: The backlash shows anti-data center sentiment is spreading to Colorado Springs.

Driving the news: Around 180 people crowded into the meeting space for two community sessions Tuesday, leaving dozens more outside.

Jason Green said his California-based development firm, Raeden,plans to turn an old microchip manufacturing site west of Centennial Boulevard into a data center.

Friction points: Area residents have raised a range of concerns since the proposal was made public a few weeks ago, including:

Noise and air pollution: The project's power and cooling systems are expected to generate some noise, as will backup diesel generators that produce air and noise pollution during monthly testing.

Water and energy use: Data centers are infamous for requiring millions of gallons of water and straining local power grids.

Trust issues: Longtime residents complain of broken promises tied to a chip manufacturing plant and cryptocurrency mine previously on the site.

Some community members also voiced broader unease about the growth of AI-related infrastructure.

The other side: Green told Axios he has never encountered this level of public opposition, pointing to a similar facility he built in Vienna, Virginia. 

He defended Raeden's proposal, telling attendees the center uses a water-efficient design that requires only an initial 200,000 gallons for a closed-loop cooling system.

He said the center would create 60 to 100 permanent jobs.

City utility officials added the project's energy demand can be met without raising rates for other customers.

The big picture: Colorado currently lags in data center development, so the Springs project would be considered a win for pro-business boosters.

Context: The Colorado Springs City Council may be especially sensitive to public opinion right now, after a member was recently recalled and a major annexation decision was overturned in the last 14 months — raising the political stakes for projects like this.

Between the lines: Despite the concerns on display Tuesday, the proposal may face fewer formal hurdles than residents expect, since the property is already zoned for use as a data center.

Green told Axios he scouted the site more than a decade ago drawn by its existing electrical and internet connections.

What we're watching: The project can be approved by city staff after a review period, though it could still be appealed to the Planning Commission and later the City Council.

Zoom out: The fight in Colorado Springs is part of a broader debate over tech infrastructure and AI.

Denver is considering a moratorium on new data centers.

State lawmakers are weighing whether to give tax incentives to new data centers or strengthen AI transparency rules.

What's next: Details for the next public meeting haven't been released, but city staff say it will be held in a larger venue.

Opponents appear to already be organizing.

Revolt over data center points to rising resistance in Colorado Springs

Hundreds voice concerns over noise, water use and trust at a packed meeting.

A man in a beige hoodie stands at the front of a conference room, gesturing as he speaks to a seated audience. Large posters with diagrams hang behind him.

Jason Green, COO of Raeden. Photo: Glenn Wallace/Axios

Public opposition to a proposed data center along Garden of the Gods Road overflowed a community meeting Tuesday night, forcing plans for a larger follow-up.Why it matters: The backlash shows <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="anti-data center sentiment" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/05/data-centers-midterms-state-bans-bills-ai" data-vars-content-id="0b8375da-fd93-47ab-afeb-71f8ea859778" data-vars-headline="Revolt over data center points to rising resistance in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/05/data-centers-midterms-state-bans-bills-ai" target="_self">anti-data center sentiment</a> is spreading to Colorado Springs.

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Colorado Springs has at least 12 vacancies across city boards and commissions, even as civic engagement has surged elsewhere.

Why it matters: While thousands of protesters lined Nevada Avenue on March 28 for a No Kings demonstration, and more than 1,700 people recently signed the recall petition for District 2 Councilmember Tom Bailey, that energy isn't translating to the places where residents can directly shape city decisions.

The big picture: The disconnect is visible beyond a single committee.

Vacancies include the Pikes Peak Area Council of Governments, the city's historic preservation board, civil service commission and the powerful planning commission.

The Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority also has three open spots.

Zoom in: Among the city boards with empty seats is the Law Enforcement Transparency and Advisory Committee (LETAC), which the city council voted unanimously to disband on Tuesday.

Flashback: LETAC had more than 800 potential applicants for its 11 seats at its creation in 2020, but the committee was plagued  by vacancies, and what the eight remaining members called a general  ineffectiveness.

Zoom out: Colorado Springs has 24 community boards, with more regional and county opportunities.

Some roles, like the planning commission, demand expertise and must be nominated by city council.

Others are open to most residents with interest and the ability to regularly attend meetings.

Friction point: Time, access and awareness can be barriers to participation.

The city previously ran a civic engagement program, but interest from city hall and the public has declined, according to organizer and former planning commissioner Eric Phillips.

"People need that experience, to see how the system works," he said.

What they're saying: Local community action groups like Citizens Project and Hey Neighbor told Axios the problem isn't a lack of care.

"People care deeply about their neighborhoods, but they're not always sure how to plug in or whether they're 'qualified' to do so," Hey Neighbor Executive Director Kelly Bull told Axios.

More information about each board, and application links are available here.

Colorado Springs struggles to fill civic boards

Seats remain open on key boards even as protests and petitions draw large crowds.

Illustration of Colorado Springs City Hall with lines radiating from it.

Colorado Springs has at least 12 vacancies across city boards and commissions, even as civic engagement has surged elsewhere.Why it matters: While <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="thousands" data-vars-click-url="https://www.fox21news.com/news/thousands-attend-third-no-kings-rally-in-colorado-springs/" data-vars-content-id="1c021a18-5b0a-446c-984f-ae889e0297ef" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs struggles to fill civic boards" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.fox21news.com/news/thousands-attend-third-no-kings-rally-in-colorado-springs/" target="_blank">thousands</a> of protesters lined Nevada Avenue on March 28 for a No Kings demonstration, and more than 1,700 people recently signed the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recall petition" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/03/12/tom-bailey-resignation-city-council-development" data-vars-content-id="1c021a18-5b0a-446c-984f-ae889e0297ef" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs struggles to fill civic boards" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/03/12/tom-bailey-resignation-city-council-development" target="_self">recall petition</a> for District 2 Councilmember Tom Bailey, that energy isn&#x27;t translating to the places where residents can directly shape city decisions.

Politics

The 41st annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs is pulling in two dozen global space agencies, hundreds of aerospace companies and leaders from NASA, the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force.

Why it matters: The future of U.S. aerospace is uncertain — as NASA celebrates Artemis II amid cuts, private companies are pushing ambitious plans, talk of weapons in space is growing, and Space Command is exiting the Springs.

Follow the money: Colorado has a major stake in aerospace — leading the nation in per-capita industry jobs — while the annual symposium pumps an estimated $16 million into the Springs' economy, per the Colorado Springs Gazette.

Between the lines: Space is becoming more accessible — and more crowded, a theme echoed across the symposium, with companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin competing in an expanding global marketplace.

Space agencies from 24 countries are attending the event, each with its own goals.

More than 400 exhibitor companies and agencies are filling multiple halls at The Broadmoor, and more than 1,500 companies registered to attend.

The shift is fueling more open discussion of space militarization.

"The customer says, 'I need capabilities in space, and I need them now,'" Lockheed Martin VP of mission strategy Tim Lynch said Monday. "Our adversaries are not waiting for us to catch up."

What they're saying: The symposium is one of the rare forums where military leaders speak candidly, and a marquee stage where aerospace CEOs unveil major announcements.

The event is "like no other … on the planet," CEO Jonathan Cirtain said before hyping the new spacesuit from his company, Axiom Space.

The Space Foundation, which runs the symposium, bills it as having the highest level of senior government and military leaders "sharing groundbreaking statements with critical new direction, strategy and information."

What's next: Gov. Jared Polis will hold a press conference at the symposium on Wednesday morning to announce an aerospace company's expansion into El Paso County.

Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs

Global space leaders gather as aerospace faces uncertainty and rapid change.

Foreground shows a white spacesuit with a reflective visor and red trim; in the background a Space Foundation banner and three men seated at a panel table in a conference room.

The Axiom Space company AxEMU suit. Photo: Glenn Wallace/Axios

The 41st annual Space Symposium in Colorado Springs is pulling in two dozen global space agencies, hundreds of aerospace companies and leaders from NASA, the U.S. Space Force and the Air Force.Why it matters: The future of U.S. aerospace is uncertain — as NASA celebrates <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Artemis II" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-distance-record-apollo-13" data-vars-content-id="a20e71a9-4f41-4b1f-91ef-348fb5afc200" data-vars-headline="Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2026/04/06/artemis-ii-distance-record-apollo-13" target="_self">Artemis II</a> amid <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="cuts" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/04/08/nasa-budget-cuts-congress-trump-huntsville" data-vars-content-id="a20e71a9-4f41-4b1f-91ef-348fb5afc200" data-vars-headline="Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/04/08/nasa-budget-cuts-congress-trump-huntsville" target="_self">cuts</a>, private companies are pushing <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="ambitious" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/2020/02/04/axiom-space-station-future" data-vars-content-id="a20e71a9-4f41-4b1f-91ef-348fb5afc200" data-vars-headline="Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/2020/02/04/axiom-space-station-future" target="_self">ambitious</a> plans, talk of weapons in space is growing, and <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Space Command" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/03/27/spacecom-headquarters-huntsville-redstone-arsenal-construction" data-vars-content-id="a20e71a9-4f41-4b1f-91ef-348fb5afc200" data-vars-headline="Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/huntsville/2026/03/27/spacecom-headquarters-huntsville-redstone-arsenal-construction" target="_self">Space Command</a> is exiting the Springs.

Aerospace

Ken Casey will represent one of Colorado Springs' fastest-growing districts after a split City Council vote Monday.

Why it matters: The appointment comes just weeks after voters recalled former District 2 Councilmember Tom Bailey, in part signaling broader frustration over growth and development in the city.

Casey's new district sits at the center of that tension, as major projects are met with neighborhood pushback.

State of play: City council voted 5-3 to appoint Casey to fill the ninth seat.

The vote wrapped up a competitive process that drew 26 applicants, later narrowed to four: Anita Miller, Cindy Carter, Dan Spohn and Casey.

What they're saying: Not everyone on the council was sold.

Members Kimberly Gold, Dave Donelson and Nancy Henjum voted against Casey's appointment, the latter of whom raised specific concerns about him balancing a full-time job with council duties.

"I do hope you're the kind of city councilor that can bring trust back into your district," Gold said before casting a no vote.

Zoom in: Casey brings a government and planning background to the job, a direct tie to issues District 2 faces.

He serves on Colorado Springs' planning commission and works for the U.S. Department of the Interior.

He first arrived in the Springs during his Army career at Fort Carson. "I have the experience, character and education to be successful," he said during his council interview.

Between the lines: District 2 has lots of action, including heavy development pressure.

A newly approved Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints temple is planned in the Flying Horse neighborhood.

The Ford Amphitheater's 2026 season begins next month, with a lawsuit and state law concerning sound issues still undecided.

And the Powers Extension project is slated to begin in 2027.

What's next: Casey will be sworn in April 13, and he said he plans to run for reelection in April.

The position will be back on the ballot again in 2029, when it resumes its standard four-year election cycle.

Colorado Springs council appoints Ken Casey to District 2 seat

The appointment comes just weeks after voters recalled former District 2 Councilmember Tom Bailey.

Ken Casey will represent one of Colorado Springs&#x27; fastest-growing districts after a split City Council vote Monday.Why it matters: The appointment comes just weeks after voters <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="recalled" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/03/12/tom-bailey-resignation-city-council-development" data-vars-content-id="b1351785-5a26-4caa-9514-871ff8a724ba" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs council appoints Ken Casey to District 2 seat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/03/12/tom-bailey-resignation-city-council-development" target="_self">recalled</a> former District 2 Councilmember Tom Bailey, in part signaling broader <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="frustration" data-vars-click-url="https://www.koaa.com/news/politics/signatures-gathered-pine-creek-homeowners-hand-councilman-tom-baileys-recall-effort-over-to-city-clerk" data-vars-content-id="b1351785-5a26-4caa-9514-871ff8a724ba" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs council appoints Ken Casey to District 2 seat" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.koaa.com/news/politics/signatures-gathered-pine-creek-homeowners-hand-councilman-tom-baileys-recall-effort-over-to-city-clerk" target="_blank">frustration</a> over growth and development in the city.

The Pikes Peak Gaming Convention is taking one last turn, April 10–12.

Why it matters: The board game gathering is the only one of its kind outside of the Denver metro area, and offers an annual draw to Manitou Springs.

Yes, but: Event founder Jose Balderrama says his wife, Jenny, and the 13 volunteers he calls his "found family" have been running the event since 2018 — and now need a break.

By the numbers: Balderrama says he has more than 1,500 board games available for convention-goers to try.

A full weekend pass costs $70, with limited day-of badges available for $40.

Con-text: Balderrama says he modeled his Springs convention after Board Game Geek's annual event in Dallas.

That first year, he told Axios, he aimed to keep the convention open 24/7, but players cleared out by 3am, leaving him alone in the Manitou Springs City Hall on an air mattress.

At 4:30am, the lights snapped on and a local police officer walked in.

Startled awake, and "surrounded by board games," he had to quickly explain himself.

What they're saying: Balderrama says that the convention has never been about making money, but sharing a passion for a hobby that changed his life.

"The board games I have, 99% of the time they're sitting there idle, and I want 'em to see action."

What we're watching: Balderrama is calling the step-back a pause, and says he hopes to restart the con someday, or inspire others to start something similar.

If you go: Parking is often pricey in Manitou Springs, so consider stashing your car farther away and using the free shuttle.

Check the convention schedule for special events, or create your own event time slot to play with like-minded gamers.

Don't be shy when you walk in — ask the "game sommelier" for suggestions, or sit at any table with the "looking for players" flag.

What's next: Balderrama says his gamer group website and Facebook page will stay active post-convention.

Balderrama tells Axios the group may restart its "Bits and Brews" series, bringing board games to local brewpubs for game nights.

Manitou board game convention enters its final year

The sixth edition of the convention in Manitou Springs, April 10–12, will be its last.

The Pikes Peak Gaming Convention is taking one last turn, <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="April 10–12" data-vars-click-url="https://pikespeakgamers.com/" data-vars-content-id="f4354289-8d9d-4b86-998e-4313d84fe5f2" data-vars-headline="Manitou board game convention enters its final year" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://pikespeakgamers.com/" target="_blank">April 10–12</a>.Why it matters: The board game gathering is the only one of its kind outside of the Denver metro area, and offers an annual draw to Manitou Springs.

Glenn Wallace

Featured stories

Colorado Springs struggles to fill civic boards

Global space leaders gather in Colorado Springs

Revolt over data center points to rising resistance in Colorado Springs

Colorado Springs council appoints Ken Casey to District 2 seat

Manitou board game convention enters its final year