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Data centers looking to build in Colorado Springs will have to pay their own infrastructure costs, conserve water and mitigate noise under new citywide standards, the mayor says.

Why it matters: The guardrails, issued Friday, raise the bar for data centers seeking city approval and arrive as officials consider the controversial Project Taurus.

Driving the news: Mayor Yemi Mobolade's six "community first" pillars aim to protect ratepayers, water resources and neighborhoods.

Requirements include demonstrating adequate water supplies and paying for infrastructure improvements to avoid jeopardizing the city's water security.

Projects must also include "appropriate" setbacks from homes, add to the city's tax base, provide opportunities for public input and invest in the community.

What they're saying: "Data centers will not be approved by default," the new standards state.

"Every proposed large-load project must demonstrate that it can meet rigorous standards."

The big picture: The standards follow resident objections to Project Taurus, a proposed 50-megawatt data center with an estimated $1 billion economic impact.

Developer Raeden is looking to build the project at an old microchip manufacturing site west of Centennial Boulevard.

What's next: The City Council is expected to use Mobolade's guidelines as it considers Project Taurus at a special 9am hearing Sept. 17 at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts.

Colorado Springs puts guardrails on new data centers

Data centers will need to pay the full cost of their electrical infrastructure, invest in water conservation and mitigate noise.

Animated illustration of a screen full of binary code that glitches to reveal "H2O" repeated in a pattern.

Data centers looking to build in Colorado Springs will have to pay their own infrastructure costs, conserve water and mitigate noise under new citywide standards, the mayor says.Why it matters: The <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="guardrails" data-vars-click-url="https://coloradosprings.gov/news/colorado-springs-community-first-data-center-standards" data-vars-content-id="334109db-11c0-44df-b5d6-bf83eaa818a6" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs puts guardrails on new data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://coloradosprings.gov/news/colorado-springs-community-first-data-center-standards" target="_blank">guardrails</a>, issued Friday, raise the bar for data centers seeking city approval and arrive as officials consider the <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="controversial Project Taurus" data-vars-click-url="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/04/09/data-center-opposition-colorado-springs" data-vars-content-id="334109db-11c0-44df-b5d6-bf83eaa818a6" data-vars-headline="Colorado Springs puts guardrails on new data centers" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.axios.com/local/colorado-springs/2026/04/09/data-center-opposition-colorado-springs" target="_self">controversial Project Taurus</a>.

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A U.S. Department of Defense agency with a $4 billion budget is relocating to Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs officials told Axios.

Why it matters: The move could give local aerospace and military companies an edge in competing for government contracts and help Colorado Springs recruit more defense businesses to the region.

Driving the news: The Pentagon's Portfolio Acquisition Executives, or PAE, that oversees Space Force infrastructure spending is moving its office from Los Angeles to Colorado Springs.

The office holds broad authority to distribute the vast majority of its $4 billion budget to projects that support Defense Department initiatives.

Potential contracts could build test and training environments, offer mission support capabilities and build facilities for advanced space systems, officials said.

What they're saying: "The relocation of the Space Force infrastructure PAE … reinforces that Colorado Springs is becoming one of the most strategically important places in America for space defense and national security innovation," Johnna Reeder Kleymeyer, president & CEO of the Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, told us in an interview Wednesday.

The big picture: The relocation is part of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s plans to reconfigure procurement to improve warfighting.

It's a big win for the Springs after President Trump moved U.S. Space Command to Huntsville, Alabama, in 2025.

Zoom in: Reeder Kleymeyer said her organization is looking forward, not back, after the loss of Space Command.

The new focus seeks to capitalize on the PAE's move by attracting more space and military contractors to the Springs.

"Knowing that this industrial PAE has a $4 billion decisioning power, if I'm a company, I want to be in close proximity to that organization … so that I'm thought of when there are contracting opportunities," she told us.

"That's how you build out an economic development cluster."

Colorado Springs notches big economic development win

Colorado Springs officials hope to build on the announcement to attract more companies to the area.

U.S. Space Force at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs. Photo: RJ Sangosti/Denver Post via Getty Images

A U.S. Department of Defense agency with a $4 billion budget is relocating to Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado Springs officials told Axios.Why it matters: The move could give local aerospace and military companies an edge in competing for government contracts and help Colorado Springs recruit more defense businesses to the region.

Aerospace

Colorado's elementary and middle school students saw improvement on math tests, but literacy remains a challenge, according to new Colorado Measures of Academic Progress test results.

Why it matters: The annual standardized tests serve as a benchmark for Colorado educators and policymakers to gauge how students are learning, our education reporting partners at Chalkbeat report.

Driving the news: Eighth graders made the largest year-over-year gains in math scores.

Fourth and fifth graders improved their reading and writing, indicating that education leaders' focus on early learning is working, but middle schoolers saw results decline in that category.

Cheyenne Mountain District 12 performed the best on the state tests, the Gazette reports, while Academy District 20 finished eighth.

What they're saying: The story of the latest scores “is one of progress, but also one of continued work ahead,” Christina Wirth-Hawkins, chief assessment officer for the Colorado Department of Education, told Chalkbeat.

The big picture: The state tests rate students using five categories: did not meet, partially met, approached, met or exceeded expectations.

The percentage who met or exceeded expectations shows whether students are keeping pace.

By the numbers: 45% of students who took the tests met or exceeded literacy expectations; 37% did the same in math.

About a quarter in each category landed in the approached expectations category.

District 20, District 12 and District 11 hosted the Springs' best schools.

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CMAS scores offer mixed learning outlook

The annual standardized tests serve as a benchmark for Colorado educators and policymakers.

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Colorado&#x27;s elementary and middle school students saw improvement on math tests, but literacy remains a challenge, according to new Colorado Measures of Academic Progress test results.Why it matters: The annual standardized tests serve as a benchmark for Colorado educators and policymakers to gauge how students are learning, our education reporting partners at Chalkbeat <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="report" data-vars-click-url="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/19/2026-cmas-scores-see-how-your-school-did-in-literacy-math/" data-vars-content-id="8932d6ab-62af-4413-ac82-ad62d888e967" data-vars-headline="CMAS scores offer mixed learning outlook" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="https://www.chalkbeat.org/colorado/2026/08/19/2026-cmas-scores-see-how-your-school-did-in-literacy-math/" target="_blank">report</a>.

Education

If you like good music or a fun festival, we've got ideas for your weekend.

🔮 The Creative Market & Holistic Expo happens 10am to 5pm Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday at the Colorado Springs Event Center on Palmer Park Boulevard. Expect sound healing and metaphysical readings. Tickets start at $10.

🎤 Colorado's singer-songwriter banjo specialist, Billy Failing, performs at Lulu's Thursday night. Tickets start at $30.72.

🇬🇷 The Colorado Springs Greek Festival at Archangel Michael Greek Orthodox Church Friday through Sunday features music, imported wine and beer, traditional food and desserts, as well as dance performances and family-friendly fun. Free.

🥁 The punk rock band Quicksand, which found success starting in the late '90s, plays Saturday at The Black Sheep. Tickets start at $46.

Music and more this weekend in Colorado Springs 

If you like good music or a good festival, we have options for you this weekend.

Illustration of a cassette tape with the tape unspooling to spell weekend. 

If you like good music or a fun festival, we&#x27;ve got ideas for your weekend.🔮 The Creative Market &amp; Holistic Expo happens 10am to 5pm Saturday and 10am to 4pm Sunday at the Colorado Springs Event Center on Palmer Park Boulevard. Expect sound healing and metaphysical readings. Tickets start at $10.

Things to Do

This weekend has fun for art lovers and sports fans.

🎭 Springs Ensemble Theatre will debut "Eureka Day," playwright Jonathan Spector's 2018 Tony Award-winning comedy, today through Aug. 30 at the Fifty-Niner, inside the Dice Guys Game Store. Tickets start at $10.

🌭🍸 Downtown Colorado Springs is bringing back the Weenies & 'Tinis passport, highlighting gourmet hot dogs and creative martinis at 10 restaurants. It runs Friday through Aug. 30. Prices vary.

🤠 The Pioneer weekend starts Friday and features two days of rodeo at the Norris Penrose Event Center, with the championship Saturday night. Tickets start at $34.25.

🎨 Elev8 Glass Gallery is hosting its Art Walk on Knob Hill from 11am to 4pm Saturday. The event promises local art, live music and other vendors. Free to attend.

⚽ The Switchbacks FC plays Birmingham Legion FC at 7pm Saturday at Weidner Field. Tickets start at $20.

What to do this weekend in Colorado Springs

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This weekend has fun for art lovers and sports fans.🎭 <a class="gtmContentClick" data-vars-link-text="Springs Ensemble Theatre" data-vars-click-url="http://springsensembletheatre.org/" data-vars-content-id="ef3ef5cd-d6a9-4efe-9b55-cbb06fe3a2b9" data-vars-headline="What to do this weekend in Colorado Springs" data-vars-event-category="story" data-vars-sub-category="story" data-vars-item="in_content_link" href="http://springsensembletheatre.org/" target="_blank">Springs Ensemble Theatre</a> will debut &quot;Eureka Day,&quot; playwright Jonathan Spector&#x27;s 2018 Tony Award-winning comedy, today through Aug. 30 at the Fifty-Niner, inside the Dice Guys Game Store. Tickets start at $10.

Who's hot (and who's not) in Colorado's beer scene

A heat table that ranks Colorado craft breweries by 2025 production and year-over-year change. Monster Brewing Company  leads at 285,000. Tivoli Brewing Company is second at 115,000 and posts the largest gain, up 101.75%.

John Frank

Featured stories

Who's hot (and who's not) in Colorado's beer scene

CMAS scores offer mixed learning outlook

Colorado Springs notches big economic development win

Music and more this weekend in Colorado Springs

Palmer Land Conservancy notches big wins