CyrusOne data center campus near Waverly (Thayer and Clark roads)
CyrusOne plans six one-story buildings on 280 acres of farmland southwest of Springfield, using up to 600 megawatts. The county approved it in April 2026 after big public debate. Neighbors have sued to stop it.
Where things stand: County Board approved it 17-10 in April 2026. Neighbors sued in July; a court hearing on the county's request to dismiss the case is set for Oct. 9, 2026.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 11, 2026): The county defended its approval in court and asked the judge to dismiss the case.
What we know
- 📍 WhereNorthwest corner of Thayer Road and Clark Road (13000 block of Thayer Road), about 14 miles southwest of Springfield, near Waverly, Talkington, Sangamon County
- 🏢 CompanyCyrusOne
- 🌳 Size280 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs600 megawatts (about as much as 480,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromRural Electric Convenience Cooperative (RECC) says the current grid has enough power. A 2025 report named Ameren Illinois as the supplier, with CyrusOne paying for power line upgrades.
- 💧 WaterApple Creek Rural Water system (company says water use is like an office building, mostly restrooms)
- ❄️ Coolingclosed-loop air cooling (company says it does not use water for cooling)
- 💵 Cost$500 million
- 💸 Tax breaksCyrusOne got a 20-year state tax break. Local property taxes on the land would rise from about $20,000-$50,000 a year to an estimated $6.5 million.
- 👷 Jobs promised100
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Which utility will supply the power: Rural Electric Convenience Cooperative or Ameren Illinois? 🙋 I'll find out
- How many diesel backup generators will the site have? 🙋 I'll find out
- Has CyrusOne bought the land and received a building permit? 🙋 I'll find out
- How did the judge rule at the Oct. 9, 2026 hearing on the neighbors' lawsuit? 🙋 I'll find out
- Was a secret deal (NDA) signed with local officials? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Oct 2025CyrusOne asked the county for a conditional use permit to build on farmland in Talkington Township.
- March 2026County Board voted 15-13 to put off (table) the decision.
- April 7, 2026County Board approved the data center 17-10, with one member not voting.
- July 6, 2026Nearby Waverly residents sued Sangamon County to overturn the approval.
- Sept 11, 2026The county defended its approval in court and asked the judge to dismiss the case.
Local votes and rules
⚖️ Court case
Neighbors from Waverly and Virden sued the county to undo its approval of the CyrusOne data center. They say the vote broke the county's zoning rules and plan, including noise limits and the use of farmland.
✅ Approved
County board voted 17-10 (one abstained) to approve zoning for CyrusOne's $500 million data center on about 280 acres on Thayer Road near Waverly (Talkington Township). It could use about 600 megawatts. The board had tabled the vote in March.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- First data center in Sangamon County · Illinois Times · Oct 17, 2025
- Sangamon County data center vote (tabled proposal) · Springfield Business Journal · March 2026
- Sangamon County Board approves a controversial data center project · NPR Illinois · April 7, 2026
- Sangamon County, Illinois, Approves $500M Data Center After Heated Debate · Broadband Breakfast · April 10, 2026
- Residents sue Sangamon County, CyrusOne · Illinois Times · July 16, 2026
- County Board defends data center approval in court · Illinois Times · Sept 22, 2026
- CyrusOne Sangamon Data Campus near Waverly, IL (map location) · More Than Just Parks data center tracker · 2026
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