PLAYLIST: City leaders vote 7-2 in favor of granting tax abatement for proposed data center

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. -- A packed city council meeting Tuesday night left residents with lingering questions about a proposed data center — but ended with approval of a major tax abatement for the project.

Public comment was capped at one hour, leaving many feeling they didn’t get enough time to raise concerns about water use and the lack of commitment to local union labor.

Phoenix Investors, the developer behind the project, pitched the data center as an economic boost, promising jobs and tax revenue for the city.

But when pressed by residents and council members on specific issues, the company offered few clear answers.

Public comment was capped at one hour, leaving many feeling they didn’t get enough time to raise concerns about water use and the lack of commitment to local union labor.

Despite those concerns, the council voted 7-2 to grant the tax abatement, which had been tabled last month.

The approval clears the way for construction to move forward on a project that would join more than 70 other data centers already operating across Indiana.