Chandler, Arizona, city council members drew cheers Thursday when they voted against approving a massive data center project.
The Chandler, Arizona City Council on Thursday voted unanimously against paving the way for construction of an AI data center.
When the unanimous vote results were announced, cheers and applause erupted.
Ahead of the vote, several people spoke out against the prospect of allowing the center to be built, and some in the audience held placards opposing the proposal.
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On December 11, 2025, Tempe residents protest against a proposed AI data center at the Chandler, Arizona City Council meeting. (Chandler, Arizona/FOX News)
Some held placards that read “NO MORE DATACENTERS.”
Former U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema lobbied in support of the proposed project.
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Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (Ariz.) at the U.S. Capitol before a procedural vote on the foreign aid package passed by the House of Representatives on April 23, 2024. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc, Getty Images/Getty Images)
At the Oct. 15 Planning and Zoning Commission meeting, she spoke in support of allowing the project to proceed, saying she was there on behalf of Active Infrastructure and is co-chair of the AI Infrastructure Coalition.
Active Infrastructure is the developer behind this project.
“Chandler now has the opportunity to decide when and how these new and innovative AI data inputs are built. When federal preemption arrives, we will lose that privilege,” Sinema warned.
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FOX Business' Ashley Webster reports that “giant” data centers are rapidly springing up across the United States, creating jobs but detracting from some as “moneymakers.”
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The Planning and Zoning Commission voted 5-1 at its October meeting in favor of recommending approval of the project's zoning change.
