By Jadynne Brady
Editor-in-Chief
The Jag
The City of Independence has approved the construction of a data center in Independence. Construction has already started and it is expected to be completed in 2029 or later. Here’s what you need to know.
What is a data center?
A data center is a large building that houses all of the servers that power services like Google, or in the case of the Independence data center, artificial intelligence (AI). According to Data Center Map, there are 71 data centers in Missouri.
Who is making it?
Dutch company Nebius acquired the land for their data center in December of 2025, buying it from NorthPoint, a Kansas City real-estate firm. They also have other data centers in places like Finland and France. They call themselves the “AI cloud company” and are listed on the Nasdaq (NBIS).
Where is it going and how large will it be?
The data center will 2.25 million square feet, with up to four buildings on 400 acres, making it larger than Arrowhead Stadium. It will be built northeast of Little Blue Parkway and Missouri Highway 78.
Why Independence?
According to Nebius’s website, they say that they see “clear opportunities where Independence can play a leading role in the AI age and are excited about potentially investing in the site.” Nebius notes specifically the city’s infrastructure, workforce, and leadership as key contributors.
How much will it cost?
Construction will cost $6.6 billion, and the building will contain up to $144 billion in specialized equipment, according to the Kansas City Star. In total, the cost will be around $150 billion dollars. However, according to the Nebius website, they project to generate “millions of dollars annually in tax revenue for city, schools and county,” with an emphasis on offering STEM and AI literacy for the Fort Osage and Independence School Districts. However, on March 2, Independence council members approved about $6.2 billion in tax breaks, which forfeits the potential property tax revenue for the next 20 years, as the Kansas City Star reported.
What resources will it take?
According to Nebuis’s website, the building will require a one-time filling of 1 million gallons of water per 200 megawatts of building per building of a system fill, which is initial, full-scale deployment of the IT equipment. It is unclear how many megawatts each building will have. However, after this one-time filling, the data center will have a 20 precent replenishment annually. They will also need between 400,000 and 640,000 gallons annually for staff and processes support.
How will it affect the surrounding area?
In terms of noise pollution, Nebius has promised to be “committed to meeting all local requirements for industrial projects” and the data center is “designed with noise abatement-technologies.”
The data center will also have diesel generators, meaning that it will emit an air pollutant called PM2.5, according to FOX4KC. A research article reported by Research Gate that there are no safe levels of this pollutant due to how easily it can infiltrate your lungs. However, FOX4 also reported that Independence Councilwoman Bridget McCandless said that the diesel generators will be tested every month.
Benefits?
According to the city of Independence website, the data center is planned to deliver “tens of millions of dollars annually” in payments to the city of Independence, Independence Power and Light, and to other “taxing jurisdictions,” like the Mid-Continent Library and Jackson County. It is also said to bring 125 permanent high paying jobs, “hundreds” of construction jobs, and provide long-term investment on infrastructure.
Cons?
While they are using a closed-loop system for water, meaning that the water that was filled can be used infinitely, theoretically, Nebius will also need to replenish from 400,000 to 635,000 gallons of water per year outside of the closed-loop system, according to the Kansas City Star. From that, Nebius has also not provided the city with a full list of all of the waste chemicals expected to be left behind in water that would pass through the site, but the chemicals will be similar to detergents and soaps.
The Star also reported some environmental changes, including local residents noticing less wildlife since the start of construction and that Nebius will be required to do a site cleanup and must pay for environmental testing.
In terms of power, the data center will require 800 megawatts of energy at a time, which could power between 320,000 and 720,000 homes for an entire year. This power will come from power lines running from an expanded power plant.
How do locals feel about it?
There has been backlash since the announcement of Nebuis’s project, including a citizens group that is dedicated to stopping the construction of the data center. According to FOX4KC, the group “Stop the AI Data Center in Independence” has voiced multiple concerns, including water usage, community health, and the amount of power required for the center. Many are also concerned with the transparency from the Dutch company and their own city.
