A public hearing on the 795-acre data center lasted more than six-and-a-half hours on Monday night forcing the Joliet City Council to recess the meeting until Thursday.

The length of the hearing pushed the City Council meeting past midnight, meaning the vote would take place on Tuesday, which is the day of the primary election in Illinois.

Moving the meeting to Thursday was necessary because state law prohibits public bodies from convening on an election day.

The City Council meeting will now be held at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday.

Hundreds of residents turned out for the Monday meeting, many of them addressing the council.

The lengthy public comment period was similar to the March 5 meeting of the Plan Commission, which lasted more than five hours and included about 80 speakers before the commission voted 7-1 to recommend approval of the data center.

The Joliet Technology Center faced intense public opposition from residents who said the data center posed a threat to electricity and water supplies, would create unwanted noise and light pollution, and contribute to expanded use of artificial intelligence.

Portia Gallegos with Joliet Residents for Responsible Growth was one of many opponents who said the timetable for city approval was too short.

Gallegos noted the city was considering approval “less than two weeks” after it was presented to the Plan Commission.

“So why are we rushing on this?” Gallegos asked. “Let’s take the time to get this right.”

City staff, however, has recommended approval of the data center, saying the development plan deals with the loca issues raised by residents.

Moreover, the project poses the promise of a huge infusion of cash, tax dollars and jobs.

The city on Friday announced that developers Hillwood and PowerHouse Data Centers will contribute $100 million to Joliet after approval of the plan and future building permits.

The data center also is expected to generate $310 million in property taxes over 30 years.

Hugh O’Hara, executive director of the Will County Government League, pointed to the tax revenue that would come from the data center, saying they will offset what homeowners pay.

“It’s the number one thing you hear across the county,” O’Hara said. “Why are my property taxes so high? What can be done about it? Bringing in large projects is what can be done about it.”

Hillwood and PowerHouse have said between 7,000 and 10,000 construction workers would be hired over the course of building the data center.

Once it is built, the data center would employ 700 people mainly for maintenance jobs that currently pay $125,000 and up at other such facilities, developers have said.