INDIANAPOLIS — Leaders across central Indiana are taking a closer look at data centers, weighing whether bringing more of them to the region would help grow the local economy or create new challenges for communities.
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Officials from communities around central Indiana gathered through the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority, known as CIRDA, to better understand the growing industry and the impact it could have locally.
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said the goal was simple: start the conversation.
"This conversation is not going away… Indiana needs to be a player in that conversation, but it has to make sense to communities," Jensen said. "We wanted to facilitate an honest conversation around factual information on data centers."
Data center proposals are starting to emerge around central Indiana — from Martindale-Brightwood to Decatur Township.
But the massive facilities can also raise questions about power usage, land and water.
Andrew Greenwood, CIRDA member and Bargersville Town Council president, said a lack of public understanding often fuels the controversy surrounding these projects.
"From a resident's perspective, there's not a lot of education. They just hear about a big building coming that's going to use all the resources of the community, and they worry about how that will affect them," Greenwood said. "A lot of us use it every day and don't even realize it… Everyone uses things like AI or cloud data and that information has to come from somewhere."
Jensen said that is why discussions like this are important, giving communities the information they need before making decisions about projects that could reshape the region's future.
"People need to understand issues like power, water and land use and then have those conversations locally with their elected officials," Jensen said.
Jensen added that while the region can work together, local differences must be considered.
"Yes, we come together as one regional development authority, but at the same time, you know what works in Martinsville doesn't necessarily work in Fishers," Jensen said.
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Adam Schumes is the In Your Community reporter for East Side Indy. He joined WRTV in December of 2021. Adam has a passion for telling stories and giving people a voice they might not have had before. Share your story ideas and important issues with Adam by emailing him at adam.schumes@wrtv.com.
