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NO TO SANGAMON COUNTY DATA CENTER
I just want to add my voice to the chorus of citizens who have already spoken out against allowing a data center in our community (“Data center debates,” Dec. 10). AI is an environmental toxin that rich people want to take over working-class jobs. We should not let them.
We also should not let AI do the thinking for us. If you have ceded your ability to think through a problem to AI, you are part of the problem.
Mike Gascoigne
Springfield
GREAT OPPORTUNITY
I’m proud to serve as president of the Central Illinois Building and Construction Trades Council and as business manager of Plumbers, Steamfitters, and HVACR Techs Local 137. In those roles, I represent more than 10,000 working families throughout Springfield, Sangamon County and the surrounding communities. Sangamon County is where I’ve built a life, so the future of this community is personal to me.
The CyrusOne data center is a real opportunity for our area. This project would bring nearly $500 million in investment to Sangamon County, create hundreds of good-paying construction jobs and provide permanent, full-time careers for local workers. It would also generate long-term tax revenue to support our schools, fire departments, emergency services, libraries and other essential community needs.
CyrusOne has committed to a project labor agreement with CIBCTC, ensuring the facility will be built by skilled local workers earning fair wages, strong benefits and working under the highest safety standards. These are the same tradespeople who built the data centers for the Mid Illinois Medical District, AT&T and Horace Mann – employers our community already depends on.
The people who will build and staff this facility are your neighbors. They shop locally, coach your kid’s soccer team, attend church and raise their families right here. This project is about investing in people and in the future of Sangamon County, and I urge our leaders to move it forward.
Aaron Gurnsey
president, CIBCTC
GREAT EXPERIENCE
This is a huge amount of experience compared to Sean Prichard, who had none, nor a degree (“Springfield gets a city planner, again,” Dec. 11). Personally, I’m glad they brought in someone with a fresh perspective who has lived and worked in much larger cities.
Samantha K. Allen
Via illinositimes.com
WELCOME TO SPRINGFIELD
I am pleased Suraksha Bhandari has the credentials to qualify her for the position. Welcome!
Anne Logue
Via Facebook.com/illinoistimes
NOT SIMILAR
Having lived in Springfield most of my adult life, working downtown for over a decade and now living in Bloomington-Normal for the past four years, there really is no comparison between the two (“From planning to implementation,” Dec. 18).
Uptown Normal is really just a few blocks long and there is plenty of parking up and down the streets, along the side streets and on the back side of the main strip, most all of which is free. The main strip on Normal is really only used for accessing downtown shops. If you are just passing through, you have several better options of routes and roads to take to get you through the area.
The students shopping and dining in Uptown Normal can and do easily walk there since Watterson Towers are a block away; there is a solid stream of income throughout the school year that does not impact parking. When the students are gone, it is much quieter and even easier to park and do anything.
It’s much safer. We’ve been letting our 15-year-old hang out with friends for an afternoon in Uptown Normal for a while now with no reservations. I would never have done that in downtown Springfield.
Uptown Normal is a slow, small strip of shops whereas downtown Springfield is several blocks wide in both directions with idiot drivers and shops spread out all over. I loved working in downtown Springfield, but there is really no comparison in the two locations. There are more similarities between downtown Bloomington and Springfield than Springfield and Uptown Normal.
Troy Freeman
Via Facebook.com/Illinoistimes
This article appears in January 15-21, 2026.
This is in response to Aaron Gurnsey’s “great opportunity” letter. First off Mr. Gurnsey has built his life. I do believe Mr. Gurnsey lives in Petersburg Il which is Menard county. Not Sangamon as he suggested. Secondly, yes the data center will be built by union contractors. What he fails to mention is they might not be from here. On top of that when the job is done it’s done. The union walks away and the taxpayers are stuck with a drain on their community, the utility and very few jobs as promised by the groups that are for this. This will be a detriment to the Sangamon county residents. So if this is truly personal to Mr. Gurnsey and “his community” he would be against it.
WELCOME TO SPRINGFIELD