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The Journal.

A Data Center Revolt in Missouri

May 7, 2026 · 21m 18s
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Around the country, there’s been a construction boom in AI data centers , but opposition is surging too. In the small town of Festus, Missouri, a $6 billion project angered residents, leading to the removal of local council members and a campaign to recall the mayor. WSJ's Will Parker explains how intense local pushback is changing where data centers are built. Ryan Knutson hosts. Further Listening: - More Coding, Less Slop? Why OpenAI Ditched Sora - The AI Economic Doomsday Report That Shook Wall Street Sign up for WSJ’s free What’s News newsletter . Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices