Developer yanks plan for huge Johnson County data center after resident backlash

After days of worrying that a massive data center might be her new nextdoor neighbor, Gardner resident Kaela Eisenbarger celebrated the fact that the proposal will no longer be moving forward.

“I am surprised that it happened this quickly, but I am so thankful just to know that our home won’t be immediately affected by something like this,” Eisenbarger said.

In April, San Francisco-based data center developer Beale Infrastructure announced a proposal to Gardner to build a 16-building campus across 300 acres near the northwest corner of 191st Street and South Clare Road. Gardner residents came out in droves against the application, sharing concerns about potential health and environmental effects of a data center moving into the rural Johnson County community.

And it appears that Gardner heard its constituents’ concerns. Almost a week later, city officials said in a statement that the company withdrew its application “based on the City of Gardner communicating that no incentives would be granted.”

Gardner spokesperson Daneeka Marshall-Oquendo said in an email that Beale made an initial request for incentives, but no formal agreement was drafted. Because the city didn’t approve a site plan, no official project cost was determined.

The decision to not offer incentives didn’t occur during a public portion of a City Council meeting, she said. Rather, it was a “policy decision related to this specific development.”

A Beale spokesperson said in a statement that the company appreciates the input from the Gardner community and city leaders.

“Beale Infrastructure is committed to delivering projects that create real tangible value for communities” the spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing to grow our investments and community partnerships across other locations in Kansas.”

Community action

While the Gardner City Council wasn’t scheduled to publicly discuss the project until June, residents came forward during public comment at a City Council meeting on Monday night, pushing back against the development, Eisenbarger said.

“It was not on the agenda, we just knew that it was our first opportunity to have our voices heard,” Eisenbarger said. “We think the whole community coming forward really did have an effect on the City Council and the mayor. They realized that more people were against it than for it, and needed to stand with what the people were saying.”

In a written statement, Mayor Todd Winters thanked community members who engaged in the discussions around the data center.

“We stand committed to pursuing responsible economic development opportunities for our community,” Winters said in the statement.

Eisenbarger said the fight against data centers isn’t over, echoing similar sentiments to her neighbors in Spring Hill — who also mobilized and pushed back on a massive proposal for a center just 5 miles away that was later withdrawn before the City Council could consider it.

“We are just trying to remember that we will have to stay vigilant. Just because they pulled out doesn’t mean that another company won’t try or that they won’t go a couple miles down the road,” she said. “We plan to stand and fight for the rest of the community as well, as needed.”

Eventually, she said she’d like to see more legislation created to regulate data centers as they continue to pop up in communities similar to hers.

“I really, personally, don’t think it’ll be long before this is a federal issue and more regulations are put in place against it,” Eisenbarger said. “I’m just happy to be a part of that movement and it just feels like such a win for a community.”

This story was originally published May 6, 2026 at 3:17 PM.