Indianapolis, IN
Google data center to be challenged in final vote by Indianapolis councilors. What to know
Aerial footage of the possible site for the Google Data Center in Franklin Township
The site of a proposed Google data center is seen Tuesday, Aug. 19, 2025, in Indianapolis’ Franklin Township.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
As Google’s proposed data center on the far southeast side seems poised for rejection by the Indianapolis City-County Council, the tech titan will have one last chance to make its case later this month.
Councilors voted unanimously on Sept. 8 to take the rare step of hosting a public hearing where opponents of the Franklin Township data center can challenge the Metropolitan Development Commission’s approval of the rezoning for the project in August.
Councilors will take a final vote at the Sept. 22 council meeting after Google representatives and the company’s detractors present their arguments. Typically, the council rubber-stamps proposals approved by the MDC, but an outspoken group of residents near Franklin Township who oppose the data center have forced the issue.
Republican Councilor Michael-Paul Hart, who represents the district where Google wants to rezone a roughly 470-acre pastoral site for a possible $1 billion data center, forced a vote Monday night to challenge the project. Dozens of data center opponents packed the council chambers and erupted with applause after all 25 councilors voted to hold the hearing in two weeks.
Hart said his stance is shaped by his constituents, who worry that the data center will ultimately increase local energy prices because it requires huge amounts of water and electricity to operate. Opponents also say the data center would be a massive, noisy eyesore that they don’t want to live near.
The data center is expected to create only 50 full-time jobs that pay about $100,000, another shortcoming in the eyes of its opponents. Despite that relatively low number of jobs, the city would consider hefty tax breaks for Google — a Silicon Valley behemoth with a market value of nearly $3 trillion — if the project’s rezoning were to pass.
“Indianapolis, we’re the capital city, and I think our land is a higher commodity” than more rural areas of the state, Hart said before the meeting. “You’re not making any more land, and especially here in Marion County, we’ve got to be very careful with what happens to that land.”
Details of data center’s energy usage, tax breaks still vague
How much the city would give Google in tax breaks remains unclear, as does the exact amount of energy required by the data center, which would sit on a site off I-74 and bordered by South Post Road, East Troy Avenue, Davis Road and Vandergriff Road.
A Google spokesperson did not respond to a request for comment Sept. 8, but confirmed to IndyStar last month that it was the secretive company considering a data center in Franklin Township. A Google spokesperson said, “These are complex projects and development of the site is subject to a variety of factors.”
Hart says the company told councilors in private meetings last week that it expected the data center, which would likely include four buildings, would use about one million gallons of water per day. That water would mainly serve to cool computing equipment used to store and process vast amounts of data.
Neither Google nor Citizens Energy, the utility that has agreed to supply water, confirmed the one million gallon estimate. But the Environmental and Energy Study Institute found that large data centers can consume up to five million gallons of water per day — equivalent to the water used in a town with 10,000-50,000 residents.
A Citizens Energy spokesperson told IndyStar in a statement Sept. 8 that “[w]e do not expect the needs of the data center to have an impact on our ability to serve current or future customers in the Franklin Township area.”
While the total dollar value of tax breaks the city would offer to Google remains unclear, details made public so far suggest significant savings for the tech giant.
The company could receive a 10-year real property tax abatement, an economic tool that lowers the taxes owed on new construction, and a 40-year tax exemption on personal property, according to Indy Economic Development, the city-adjacent nonprofit chaired by Mayor Joe Hogsett that is working with Google.
The real property tax abatement would waive 50% of taxes on new real estate improvements like buildings in that 10-year period. The company has, however, committed to supplemental tax payments of at least $1 million a year.
Where Indy councilors stand on final vote for Google data center
At least 15 councilors must oppose the project on Sept. 22 to meet the 60% threshold required to overturn the MDC’s rezoning approval in August.
So far, 17 councilors have said they plan to vote no, largely because they’re following council precedent and supporting the district councilor’s position. Besides Hart, those councilors expected to vote no are Republicans Paul Annee, Joshua Bain, Derek Cahill, Michael Dilk and Brian Mowery; and Democrats John Barth, Jesse Brown, Andy Nielsen, Rena Allen, Jared Evans, Kristin Jones, Frank Mascari, Nick Roberts, Ali Brown, Jessica McCormick and Keith Graves.
“Our city deserves development that strengthens neighborhoods, protects our environment, and creates real, lasting opportunities for residents,” Graves, the most recent councilor to oppose the project, said in a statement Monday.
Only one of the remaining eight councilors, Democrat Ron Gibson, has shared openly that he plans to support the proposed development. He told IndyStar Monday that a $1 billion investment from a company like Google is too significant to pass up.
“I think Indianapolis has got to be always on the forefront of attracting jobs, more investment, and an investment like Google is a lifetime investment,” Gibson said Monday night. “I mean, that’s significant. You don’t see those type of projects in Marion County.”
Email Indianapolis City Hall Reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A man is dead, and a suspect has been detained following a shooting on Indy’s far east side.
The shooting took place around midnight Sunday near the intersection of East 10th Street and Shadeland Avenue.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers arrived at the scene and found a man with multiple gunshot wounds. Medics rushed him to a hospital, where he later died.
Investigators say they believe it started as an altercation in the parking lot of a business before the shooting happened.
The suspect stayed on the scene and was later detained. IMPD says they located a gun in the suspect’s car.
IMPD Capt. John Arvin told media at the scene, “It’s Mother’s Day. Here’s the tragedy. A mother is going to get a knock on the door this morning that her son is dead. For the rest of her life, every Mother’s Day, she’s going to remember that’s the day my son died.
“That just makes this a senseless tragedy. We have no idea what the fight was over, what led to the shooting, but whatever it was, does it lead to someone’s mother knowing for the rest of her life my son died on mothers day. That’s just tragedy.”
Police say many of the surrounding businesses have security cameras, and they will contact them today to review the footage as part of the investigation.
IndyCar race results from the Indianapolis Motor Speedway
IndyCar Series drivers are on the grid in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course is set to host a day of open wheel racing.
View Indianapolis race results for the IndyCar Series below.
Alex Palou and Pato O’Ward set the front row. 85 laps laps of stock car racing are up next…
Race Report
Green flag, Alex Palou is clear out of turn one. Pato O’Ward is turned! Scott Dixon and others are collected. The caution is out.
Penalty: Felix Rosenqvist will serve a drive thru penalty for contact in turn one.
Green, Palou leads Malukas and Kirkwood into turn one.
Lap 7, Kirkwood dives inside of Malukas into turn one. Kirkwood takes 2nd away.
Lap 21, Alexander Rossi is stalled and the caution is out. Multiple pit strategies are now in play.
Palou heads for the pit lane. Power is handed the lead as Palou restarts 19th.
Green, Power leads Malukas and Lundgaard. Felix Rosenqvist jumps over the top of Kyffin Simpson, caution.
Power pits from the lead with others. Malukas is handed the lead.
Green, Malukas leads Lunagaard into turn one.
Lap 48, Malukas and others head for the pit lane. Lundgaard pits the following lap. Malukas cycles out ahead. Malukas is saving fuel.
Lap 52, Power leads Malukas by 8 seconds.
Lap 63, Alex Palou pits for the final time from 5th.
20 to go, Lundgaard and many of the leaders dive for the pit lane. A lap later, Malukas heads for the pit lane.
Malukas cycles out ahead of Lundgaard. Lundgaard trails by 1.3 seconds.
18 to go, Lundgaard is all over the gearbox of the leader! Malukas blocks the inside into turn one. He misses a shift and Lundgaard pulls on the outside. They fight for space into turn four, Lundgaard to the lead!
8 to go, Lundgaard leads Malukas by 3 seconds. He’s driving away.
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Race Results
May 9, 2026
IndyCar Series
Pos | Driver
1. Christian Lundgaard
2. David Malukas
3. Graham Rahal
4. Josef Newgarden
5. Alex Palou
6. Scott Dixon
7. Louis Foster
8. Dennis Hauger
9. Kyle Kirkwood
10. Nolan Siegel
11. Marcus Armstrong
12. Kyffin Simpson
13. Will Power
14. Santino Ferrucci
15. Rinus VeeKay
16. Scott McLaughlin
17. Sting Ray Robb
18. Pato O’Ward
19. Caio Collet
20. Mick Schumacher
21. Romain Grosjean
22. Marcus Ericsson
23. Felix Rosenqvist
24. Christian Rasmussen
25. Alexander Rossi
IndyCar Series
Point Standings
Pending
Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Video Highlights
Pending
Links
Indianapolis Motor Speedway | Indycar
TODAY
Early clouds give way to gradual clearing, and the afternoon turns much nicer than the damp start might suggest. Highs reach the mid 70s, with a west-southwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. Once we get past the morning gray, this looks like a very usable day for outdoor plans, just a bit breezy at times.
TONIGHT
Clouds increase again overnight, and scattered showers with a few thunderstorms may arrive late, mainly after 3 a.m. Lows settle in the mid 50s, with a light breeze becoming northerly late. Most of the evening stays quiet, but by early Sunday morning a few neighborhoods could hear some rain on the roof.
MOTHER’S DAY
Cooler than Saturday, with a mix of clouds and some breaks of sun along with the chance for an isolated shower. Highs top out in the mid 60s, and a north breeze around 5 to 10 mph adds a slightly cooler feel. It is not a washout, but it is also not as nice as Saturday afternoon, especially south of Indianapolis where a stray shower may hang on longer.
TOMORROW NIGHT
Partly cloudy and cooler, with lows in the mid 40s and a north northeast breeze around 5 to 10 mph. The air dries out nicely, and this looks like a quiet, comfortable night across central Indiana.
MONDAY
Bright and seasonably cool with sunshine taking over. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light north wind around 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon. This looks like one of the cleaner forecast days of the stretch, great for errands, practices, or getting outside without weather trouble.
MONDAY NIGHT
Mostly clear and chilly again, with lows in the low to mid 40s and light wind fading late. Quiet weather continues, and there are no meaningful travel concerns overnight.
TUESDAY
Another decent start, then clouds begin to increase later with a chance for showers and thunderstorms after mid afternoon. Highs reach the mid 60s, with a light south southwest breeze around 5 to 10 mph. Most of the day still looks usable, but the late afternoon and evening carry the next better rain signal.
TUESDAY NIGHT
Showers and thunderstorms become more likely for part of the night before activity starts to ease later on. Lows hold in the low to mid 50s, with a south-southwest wind around 10 to 15 mph and gusts up to 25 mph. It does not look like a high-end severe setup right now, but it is enough of a signal to keep an eye on late evening plans.
WEDNESDAY
A leftover shower is possible early, then the trend turns drier with more sun returning through the day. Highs recover into the upper 60s, and a northwest breeze around 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 25 mph will make it feel a little brisker at times. The day improves as it goes, and by afternoon it should look much better than the early morning may suggest.
7 DAY FORECAST
After a milder Saturday and a small late Saturday night into Sunday shower window, the broader pattern settles down for Sunday night and Monday with quieter, cooler weather in place. The next more meaningful chance for rain arrives Tuesday into Tuesday night as another system approaches, then drier conditions return Wednesday as that system pulls away. Temperatures run in the 70s Saturday, slip back into the 60s Sunday through Tuesday, then edge a little milder again by midweek. Confidence is best in the quiet Sunday night through Monday stretch, while the exact timing of Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday night rain could still wobble a bit.
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