Indianapolis is hitting the pause button on any new data centers.
The Metropolitan Development Commission voted 6-0 on Aug. 19 to enact a moratorium, or temporary ban, on any new data center projects in Indianapolis. The ban will be in effect through 2027.
About 30 people in attendance cheered following the vote, which was the final approval needed for the moratorium.
The City-County Council had voted 23-1 to pass a moratorium at its Aug. 10 meeting. Mayor Joe Hogsett also voiced his support for the measure.
Importantly, the moratorium does not impact three other projects that have already gained city approval.
- Metrobloks, a Los Angeles-based company, is building a $500-million data center in Martindale Brightwood. The company is negotiating with city officials on tax breaks.
- Seattle-based Sabey Data Centers is constructing a data center campus in Decatur Township that will span roughly 18 football fields. Sabey Data Centers is negotiating with the city over $242 million in tax breaks.
- DC Blox is building a $2 billion campus on the site of a former Ford plant near Irvington. The company is also pursuing tax abatements.
Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, a southside Republican who was the only councilor to vote against the moratorium, fears that the pause will leave elected officials less prepared to negotiate with developers.
“In 2028, there will be a fresh batch of some councilors that are not going to be as educated as the councilors that we have now,” Hart said. “What we’re going to have is a group of developers who are going to come in and be a lot smarter on this topic.”
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Peter Blanchard covers local government. Reach him at 317-605-4836 or peter.blanchard@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @peterlblanchard.
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