Rapid City officials drafting ordinance barring hyperscale data centers Frank Espinoza Sep 2, 2026 Sep 2, 2026 0 × Mike Brownlee Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Rapid City’s mayor and city officials are looking at an ordinance that would give city officials oversight of future data centers.kAmQxEVD G6CJ C62D@?23=6 2?5 C6DA@?D:3=6[ 2?5 :EVD 36EE6C E92? H92E H6 92G6 C:89E ?@H[ H9:49 :D ?@E >F49 @7 2?JE9:?8[Q |2J@C y2D@? $2=2>F? E@=5 E96 y@FC?2= @? pF8] ad]k^AmkAm%9:D 4@>6D 27E6C $2=2>F? E@@< E@ u2463@@< @? pAC:= a_[ DE2E:?8 E92E 4:EJ DE277 :D H@C<:?8 @? 2? @C5:?2?46 C6BF:C:?8 2 r@?5:E:@?2= &D6 !6C>:E 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD] }@H E96 @C5:?2?46 :D ?62C=J C625J E@ 36 D6?E E@ 4:EJ 8@G6C?>6?E 7@C 2AAC@G2=]k^Am kAmx7 E96 @C5:?2?46 :D 2AAC@G65[ E9:D H@F=5 8:G6 E96 4:EJ E96 23:=:EJ E@ 9@=5 962C:?8D[ 56>2?5 DEF5:6D 2?5 2EE249 4@?5:E:@?D]k^Am People are also reading… The secret season of the Black Hills Staff cuts discussed at emotionally-charged Rapid City Council budget meeting Saying goodbye: Demolition of Rapid City’s St. John’s church coming in September The latest South Dakota high school football polls Rapid City man pleads not guilty to several sexual abuse charges How Belle Fourche football gave Newell athletes a chance to play Country singer Ian Munsick opening bar, grill in Deadwood Sept. 18 ‘Life wouldn’t be the same without him’: Douglas football’s Ethan Hastings playing for his brother Pennington County employees told to stay home after cyberattack will lose vacation time or go without pay Martin man arrested after 1 injured in Anamosa Street shooting Former Nebraska wide receiver cut by Philadelphia Eagles Post 320 leverages success into million-dollar field renovations 21 local professionals named to Elevate Leadership Institute Class of 2027 10 years later, Rapid City runs to remember Tom Pfeifle 'Our dudes are dudes': Inside Hill City football's quarterback switch kAmrFCC6?E=J[ E96 4:EJ 92D =:EE=6 @G6CD:89E :? E96 2AAC@G2= AC@46DD 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD]k^Am Mayor Jason Salamun, right, during a 2026 Rapid City Council meeting. At left is Councilman Stephen Tamang. Frank Espinoza, Journal staff kAm!6C AC6G:@FD C6A@CE:?8[ #2A:5 r:EJ r@>>F?:EJ s6G6=@A>6?E s:C64E@C ':4<: u:D96C D2:5 27E6C $6BF:E@C t586VD u63CF2CJ 2??@F?46>6?E 23@FE :ED 52E2 46?E6C[ E96 ?6IE DE6A 7@C 2 46?E6C’D 56G6=@A>6?E A=2?D H@F=5 36 E96 2AAC@G2= @7 2 3F:=5:?8 A6C>:E] u:D96C D2:5 ?@ 24E:@? :D ?66565 3J E96 !=2??:?8 r@>>:DD:@? @C 3J E96 r:EJ r@F?4:=[ 3642FD6 3F:=5:?8 A6C>:ED 2C6 25>:?:DEC2E:G6=J 2AAC@G65 3J E96 r:EJVD qF:=5:?8 ~77:4:2=D 27E6C C6G:6H 3J E96 r:EJVD s6G6=@A>6?E #6G:6H %62>]k^Am kAm}@H[ 27E6C >@?E9D @7 A=2??:?8[ C6D62C49 2?5 5:D4FDD:@?D H:E9 4@F?4:= >6>36CD[ 2? @C5:?2?46 :D 36:?8 5C27E65 E@ 8:G6 E96 4:EJ @G6CD:89E @7 DF49 56G6=@A>6?ED]k^Am kAmQ%96 32D:4 7C2>6H@C< @7 H92EVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 AC@A@D65 :D E9:Di 9JA6CD42=6 52E2 46?E6CD H:== 36 AC@9:3:E65[” $2=2>F? D2:5]k^AmkAmw6 6IA=2:?65 E92E 9JA6CD42=6 46?E6CD H@F=5 36 567:?65 2D 46?E6CD H:E9 2 A62< A@H6C 56>2?5 @7 d_ >682H2EED @C >@C6 2?5 FD:?8 >@C6 E92? `_[___ 82==@?D @7 H2E6C A6C 52J]k^Am kAm“}F>36C EH@[ E96 AC@A@D2= D2JD E92E 2 =2C86\D42=6 52E2 46?E6C H:== ?665 E@ 92G6 2 4@?5:E:@?2= FD6 A6C>:E[ 2?5 H6 567:?6 E92E 2D 2 52E2 46?E6C H:E9 2 A62< 56>2?5 @7 >@C6 E92? `_ >682H2EED 2?5 =6DD E92? d_ >682H2EED @7 A@H6C[ H:E9 2 >2I:>F> @7 `_[___ 82==@?D @7 H2E6C A6C 52J[ 6I4=FD:G6 E@ E96 :?:E:2= 7:==[Q $2=2>F? D2:5]k^Am kAm$2=2>F? D2:5 2 >:4C@ 52E2 46?E6C H@F=5 36 567:?65 2D[ “2 724:=:EJ E92E H:== 92G6 2 A62< 56>2?5 @7 2 >2I:>F> @7 FA E@ `_ >682H2EED @7 A@H6C[ 3FE ?@ >@C6 E92? c[___ 82==@?D @7 H2E6C A6C 52J[ 6I4=FD:G6 E@ E96 :?:E:2= 7:==]Qk^Am kAm%96 :?:E:2= DF3>:DD:@? 7@C E96 4:EJ 8@G6C?>6?EVD 2AAC@G2= AC@46DD DE2CED 2E E96 !=2??:?8 r@>>:DD:@?’D $6AE] `_ >66E:?8] s6E2:=D @7 E96 @C5:?2?46 2C6 DF3;64E E@ 492?86] qFE $2=2>F? D2:5 96 :D =@@<:?8 E@ 8:G6 E96 4:EJ @G6CD:89E 7@C 7FEFC6 2AAC@G2= AC@46DD6D]k^AmkAmQxEVD DE:== 36:?8 65:E65[ D@ x 2=H2JD 92E6 E@ 86E :?7@C>2E:@? @FE E92EVD 8@:?8 E@ 36 492?865] qFE x E9:?<[ 7C@> H92E x F?56CDE2?5[ 2E =62DE E9@D6 E9C66 42E68@C:6D 2C6 AC6EEJ D@=:5[Q $2=2>F? D2:5 @7 E96 D:K6 567:?:E:@?D @7 52E2 46?E6CD]k^Am kAm$2=2>F? D2:5 96 92D =@@<65 2E @E96C 4@>>F?:E:6DV @C5:?2?46D 255C6DD:?8 E96 52E2 46?E6C C6G:6H AC@46DD]k^Am kAmu:D96C E@=5 E96 y@FC?2= E96 @E96C 4@>>F?:E:6D E96J =@@<65 :?E@ 7@C 52E2 46?E6CD :?4=F565 r96J6??6[ (J@>:?8[ u2:C72I r@F?EJ[ ':C8:?:2[ uC:D4@[ %6I2D[ 2?5 $2? y@D6[ r2=:7@C?:2]k^Am Community Development Director Vicki Fisher kAmQs2E2 46?E6CD … 2C6 6G6C 6G@=G:?8] (92E H6 <?6H EH@ J62CD 28@ :D ?@E H92E H6 <?@H E@52J[ 2?5 H92E H6 <?@H E@52J :D H92E H6 H@?VE <?@H EH@ J62CD 7C@> ?@H] %9:?8D <66A 492?8:?8[ 3FE x E9:?< AFEE:?8 E96 8F2C5C2:=D :? A=246 96=AD FD 6?DFC6 E92E E9:?8D E92E 2C6 5@?6 96C6 :? @FC 4@>>F?:EJ 2C6 5@?6 @A6?=J 2?5 72:C=J E@ 2== A2CE:6D[Q $2=2>F? D2:5]k^Am kAm$6BF:E@C t586VD 52E2 46?E6C H:== 36 =@42E65 2E E96 q=24< w:==D x?5FDEC:2= r6?E6C[ =@42E65 D@FE9 @7 ~=5 u@=D@> #@25 2?5 62DE @7 w:89H2J fh]k^Am kAmu:D96C E@=5 E96 y@FC?2= E96 4:EJ 92D ?@E J6E C646:G65 2 3F:=5:?8 A6C>:E @C 2?J FA52E6D 7@C E96 $6BF:E@C t586 52E2 46?E6C]k^AmkAmQs6A6?5:?8 FA@? E96 H2E6C 2?5 6=64EC:4 FD286[ E96 $6BF:E@C t586 52E2 46?E6C >2J C6BF:C6 2 r@?5:E:@?2= &D6 !6C>:E] w@H6G6C[ E96 AC@A@D65 @C5:?2?46 AC@A@D6D E@ 2==@H 2 >:4C@\52E2 46?E6C H:E9 2 A62< 56>2?5 @7 `_ >682H2EED 2?5 ?@ >@C6 E92? c[___ 82==@?D @7 H2E6C A6C 52J 2D 2 A6C>:EE65 FD6] $EC:4E 4@>A=:2?46 DE2?52C5D 2C6 36:?8 AC@A@D65 7@C A6C>:EE65 2?5 4@?5:E:@?2= 52E2 46?E6CD[Q u:D96C D2:5 @? 7FEFC6 24E:@?D @7 E96 2AAC@G2= AC@46DD]k^Am A map shows where the Sequitor Edge data center will be located within the Black Hills Industrial Center. SHALOM BAER GEE, Journal staff kAm':4E@C:2 q=2E497@C5[ G:46 AC6D:56?E @7 3FD:?6DD 56G6=@A>6?E 7@C $6BF:E@C t586VD vC62E !=2:?D @A6C2E:@?[ D2:5 @? u63] ``[ E96 724:=:EJ H:== FD6 a >682H2EED :?:E:2==J[ H:E9 2 >2I:>F> @7 `_ >682H2EED] %96 724:=:EJ H@F=5 36 4=@D65 =@@A[ H:E9 2 @?6\E:>6 FD6 @7 2C@F?5 a_[___ 82==@?D @7 H2E6C E@ 7:== :ED 4@@=:?8 A@@=]k^AmkAmp DEF5J 3J E96 x?E6C?2E:@?2= t?6C8J p86?4J 6DE:>2E65 2 `__\>682H2EE &]$] 52E2 46?E6C H@F=5 4@?DF>6 C@F89=J E96 D2>6 2>@F?E @7 H2E6C 2D a[e__ 9@FD69@=5D[ 244@F?E:?8 @?=J 7@C 5:C64E H2E6C 4@?DF>AE:@? 2?5 2G6C2865 24C@DD E96 G2C:@FD 4@@=:?8 DEC2E68:6D[ 244@C5:?8 E@ E96 D6CG:46 C6A@CE]k^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ 2 C6=62D6 7C@> t=6G2E6 #2A:5 r:EJ[ $6BF:E@C t586[ “H:== DFAA@CE :?5FDEC:6D E92E 56A6?5 @? D64FC6[ 72DE[ 2?5 C6=:23=6 52E2 AC@46DD:?8[ :?4=F5:?8 25G2?465 >2?F724EFC:?8[ 962=E942C6[ 5676?D6\C6=2E65 :?5FDEC:6D[ 7:?2?4:2= D6CG:46D[ 2?5 @E96C E649?@=@8J\6?23=65 @A6C2E:@?D]Qk^Am kAmp44@C5:?8 E@ s2CC6== $9@6>2<6C[ E96 4:EJVD !F3=:4 x?7@C>2E:@? @77:46C[ 27E6C E96 A@DD:3=6 2AAC@G2= @7 E96 @C5:?2?46[ :E H@F=5 E96? 9625 E@ {682= 2?5 u:?2?46 r@>>:EE66 @? $6AE] `e 2?5 E96? H@F=5 C6BF:C6 EH@ C625:?8D 3J E96 r:EJ r@F?4:=] k^Am Contact Frank Espinoza at fespinoza@rapidcityjournal.com 0 Comments Love 0 Funny 0 Wow 0 Sad 0 Angry 0 Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Frank Espinoza Government Reporter Author email Follow Frank Espinoza Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today Related to this story Data center Watch Now: Related Video Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz drive oil prices as US and Iran both claim control US: U.S. secures access to Venezuelan oil while continuing to deport its citizens. US: U.S. secures access to Venezuelan oil while continuing to deport its citizens. Machado challenges Venezuela's 'illegitimate' interim govt over massive US oil deal Machado challenges Venezuela's 'illegitimate' interim govt over massive US oil deal Funerals held in Iran for wedding party victims of US missile strikes Funerals held in Iran for wedding party victims of US missile strikes
Frank Espinoza Government Reporter Author email Follow Frank Espinoza Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Save Manage followed notifications Close Followed notifications Please log in to use this feature Log In Don't have an account? Sign Up Today
