Western Hospitality: New Carlisle

In December 2025, the St. Joseph County Council officially cancelled the proposal for a massive $12 billion data center campus in New Carlisle, Indiana. Following a marathon 10-hour public hearing, the council voted 7-2 to deny the necessary rezoning of more than 1,000 acres of prime farmland along Chicago Trail.

The ambitious plan called for the construction of 14 industrial shells, each roughly the size of a football stadium, with an estimated power capacity exceeding 1 gigawatt.

The project, led by Western Hospitality Partners, was defeated due to overwhelming community opposition focused on the depletion of the Kankakee Aquifer, potential spikes in energy costs, and the desire to preserve the rural, agricultural character of the town.