Garden of the Gods data center draws community opposition in Colorado Springs

About 180 people attended two community sessions after a developer proposed converting a former microchip site near Centennial Boulevard into a data center; residents raised concerns about noise, air and water use.

A California developer, Raeden, has proposed converting a former microchip manufacturing site west of Centennial Boulevard into a data center near Garden of the Gods. About 180 people attended two community sessions on Tuesday, with dozens more outside. Residents raised concerns about noise, air and water use and cited broken promises from prior operations on the site. The developer said the design uses a water-efficient closed-loop cooling system, expects 60 to 100 permanent jobs, and city utility officials said energy needs can be met without raising rates. What officials and residents reported: - Raeden plans to repurpose the former microchip manufacturing site into a data center. - Two community sessions drew roughly 180 attendees, with additional people waiting outside. - Residents listed concerns including noise, emissions from backup generators during testing, water and energy use, and trust issues tied to past projects at the site. - Developer Jason Green described a water-efficient closed-loop system requiring an initial 200,000 gallons, estimated 60–100 permanent jobs, and said utilities can handle the project's energy demand without rate increases. Summary: The proposal has prompted notable local opposition and reflects a broader debate over data center growth in Colorado. The project is on property already zoned for data center use and can be approved by city staff after a review; it could still be appealed to the Planning Commission and City Council. City staff say the next public meeting will be held in a larger venue, but details have not been released.