One concern about the Equinix data center being built near Holt and Ridge Road in Minooka was the lack of a fire station north of a notoriously dangerous Interstate 80 interchange.

Equinix agreed with that concern, and donated land it owned north of I-80 to the Village of Minooka to build a new fire station.

Minooka Mayor Ric Offerman said the Equinix development is already beginning construction. It’s a $6 billion, 300-acre development with seven buildings that will bring long-term revenue to local taxing bodies.

“This was my favorite (index) card to make; you might be able to read it if you’re close,” Offerman said. “Equinix will have no semis when this is built. There won’t be one raggedy old semi coming out of there unless it’s one of the hundreds that gets lost in town all the time.”

The village does, in fact, have a semi problem that stands to get worse as Canadian National’s Chicago Logistics Hub builds out in Channahon.

That doesn’t mean, however, that the Equinix data center is popular with everyone. The community has pushed back, and an open house last September led to residents packing Minooka’s community room to ask questions, express concerns and seek explanations.

Guy Danskine, who leads Equinix’s U.S. western region, said he appreciates that when a company like Equinix announces a large development, there’s going to be questions. He took time at the end of the State of the Village address to introduce the company.

“We’ve been operating for over 27 years, and we have 280 data centers across 36 countries in 77 markets,” Danskine said. “And I want to take a moment to explain exactly what a data center is.”

Danskine said he’s been in the data center business for 15 years, and for him, it’s normal.

He said Equinix has been listening and the company wants to be transparent. He said the data center will not make electricity prices for residents go up.

“I want to say very clearly, that will not happen,” Danskine said. “Equinix pays for our power under a large load rate, meaning that call costs associated with connecting and serving our facilities are allocated to us, not passed through the residential tax base. We are fully committed to paying our full cost of service for every megawatt we consume, including any infrastructure upgrades required to bring power to our campus.”

Danskine said Equinix has signed a binding agreement with ComEd that guarantees ComEd a certain amount of transmission revenue from Equinix regardless of how the build out progresses.

Danskine also said Equinix has done a noise study, and it has implemented noise mitigation measures that includes sound shrouds, screen walls and nature plantings that meet the village’s requirements.

“Power lines serving our campus will be underground and mechanical infrastructure will be secured, screened from public view,” Danskine said.

He said the farm on the land along Ridge Road will also be preserved.

As far as water usage goes, the data center will operate on a closed loop system. The only water it will use, according to Danskine, will be for restrooms and fire safety, and the amount will be comparable to an office building.

“This was a very deliberate design decision made with America’s water resources in mind,” Danskine said.

He said Minooka can expected an estimated $3 million annual in utility tax revenue in the early years of operation, and that could triple by year 15. Property tax contributions will generate $6.6 million more than agricultural use, according to Danskine.

“We’re not a developer that is going to build this site, sell it and move on,” Danskine said. “We’re an operator with all the markets we’re in.”

Construction is expected to begin in 2027 with the intention of opening partially in 2028 and opening fully by 2031.