Learn about the Central Illinois Data Center Opposition - our nonprofit coalition fighting for our community
Pekin & Groveland Township, Illinois

Stop the Data Center.
Protect Our Community.

A coalition of Pekin and Groveland Township residents standing against the proposed data center. We believe this facility would strain our water supply, overload our power grid, degrade our air quality, and threaten irreplaceable farmland. We will not accept it.

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The Issue

An AI Data Center That Does Not Belong Here

Western Hospitality Partners LLC wants to build a massive AI data center super cluster on Groveland Township farmland that was recently annexed by the City of Pekin, Illinois. This is not a minor development. It is an industrial mega-facility proposed in the middle of a community built around homes, schools, parks, and working farms.

A facility of this scale will strain our water supply, burden our electrical grid, degrade our air quality, subject residents to constant industrial noise, and permanently destroy some of Illinois' most productive farmland. The profits go to outside investors while our community bears every cost and consequence.

We are here to make sure our local government hears us: this community opposes this data center, and we expect that opposition to be reflected in every decision made on our behalf.

What is a hyper-scale AI data center?

Key Facts

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Location Pekin, IL (recently annexed property of Groveland Township)
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Developer Western Hospitality Partners, LLC
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Facility Type Hyper-scale AI data center
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Status Proposed | Public input needed
Impact Area

Who Is Affected

The proposed data center site on the Lutticken Property sits within miles of schools, parks, residential neighborhoods, and the Illinois River. The concentric rings below show 1-, 2-, and 3-mile radii from the development.

Map showing the proposed Pekin data center site on the Lutticken Property with 1, 2, and 3 mile impact radii, nearby schools marked as GS (grade school) and HS (high school), parks, golf courses, and neighboring communities including Groveland, Morton, Tremont, and South Pekin. Tap to expand

Pekin Data Center Development | Lutticken Property, City of Pekin, Illinois. Map shows the proposed development area (gold), surrounding parks and golf courses (green), schools (GS = Grade School, HS = High School), and mile markers from the site. Source: Google Earth 2024.

9
Schools within 3 miles
7
Public parks & golf courses adjacent
5+
Communities directly impacted
<3 mi
Distance to Illinois River
Community Concerns

Why This Matters

The harms of large-scale data centers are well documented. These are not hypothetical risks. They are the reality facing our community if this project moves forward.

Water Consumption

Data centers of this scale consume millions of gallons of water every day for cooling. This will directly compete with the water our families, farms, and local businesses depend on, driving up costs and threatening supply for the entire region.

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Power Grid Strain

AI compute clusters consume electricity comparable to a small city. Adding that load to our grid means higher energy costs for every ratepayer, increased risk of outages, and an end to any near-term possibility of supporting new local development or transitioning to renewable energy.

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Noise & Air Pollution

Industrial cooling systems and backup diesel generators run around the clock, producing constant noise and harmful air emissions. Residents near similar facilities report disrupted sleep, declining health, and falling property values. Our neighborhoods, schools, and parks would be directly in the impact zone.

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Environmental Destruction

This site is prime Illinois farmland surrounded by forests, waterways, and wildlife habitats including Bald eagles that nest along the Illinois River here, Pekin Lake hosts over 200 bird species, and state-protected wildlife calls this area home. Our trails, parks, and natural areas would border an industrial complex. Illinois has already lost a significant amount of its prairie and wetlands. Once this land is paved over, it is gone forever.

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Upcoming Events

Important Dates

Join us at city council, zoning, and town hall meetings. Your presence matters.

February 2026
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All Upcoming Events

Resources

Learn More

Documents, reports, news coverage, and reference materials related to the proposed data center and its potential impacts.

News Coverage

News Coverage

Local and national news articles covering the proposed WHP LLC data center development in Pekin and the community response.

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How Other Towns Have Responded

Case studies from communities across the U.S. that have faced similar data center proposals and the strategies they used.

Read more Petition

Sign the Community Petition

Add your name to the petition calling on Pekin city officials to require a full environmental impact study before any approvals are granted.

Sign now Government

Official Documents

Meeting minutes, zoning proposals, annexation records, and other official city and county documents related to this development.

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Public Records & Documents

References

The documents referenced below are publicly available records obtained from government sources, official proceedings, and public reporting. We compile them here so that residents can easily access the information they need to participate meaningfully in this process.

Disclaimer: The documents linked or referenced on this page are public records and publicly available materials. This site is a community informational resource and does not claim authorship of government documents. They are provided here solely for the purpose of public transparency and civic engagement. Any opinions expressed on this site are those of the community group and do not represent the official position of any government body.

Government

Official Documents & Public Records

City council meeting minutes, zoning applications, annexation ordinances, and other official records related to the proposed data center.

Browse documents News

News & Media Coverage

Local and national news articles covering the proposed WHP LLC data center and the community response, with direct links to original reporting.

Browse coverage
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Get Involved

Your Voice Matters

This fight will be won by the people who show up. Here is how you can help stop this project.

01

Stay Informed

Follow this page for updates on hearings, deadlines, and new developments.

Join Our Facebook Group
02

Attend Meetings

Pack the room at city council meetings and public hearings. Elected officials need to see the scale of opposition firsthand. Check the events section for upcoming dates.

03

Make Your Voice Heard

Sign the petition, submit public comments during open comment periods, and contact your local representatives directly. Make it clear that approving this project is unacceptable. Fact-based, persistent pressure works.