I say the horse is out of the barn, what do you say? Yes — the horse is largely out of the barn at the state level, but local zoning and political resistance still give neighborhoods real leverage.

Here's the clear-eyed breakdown of data centers in Kansas as of mid-July 2026.

Current Landscape

Kansas has a small existing footprint but a massive pipeline. Operating capacity is only about 20 MW across a handful of facilities (mostly smaller/colocation sites). Planned projects would add roughly 1,350 MW, for a potential total around 1,370 MW.

The market is concentrated near the Kansas City metro (both KS and MO sides) and is spilling into rural areas. Sources tracking facilities put total data centers (operating + smaller) in the low-to-mid 20s, with hyperscale interest rising fast. Examples of activity include:

• Industrial parks marketing specifically for data centers (e.g., Great Plains Industrial Park).
• Proposed hyperscale or large projects in places like Emporia (“Flint Hills Digital Campus”), Osawatomie, Leavenworth area, Pottawatomie/Manhattan region, and near Topeka.
• Compass Datacenters has been in preliminary talks for a ~60 MW facility near Topeka (around the Walmart distribution area). No formal application yet in some reports, but enough chatter to trigger local backlash.

Kansas is being pitched nationally as a secondary/power-available market for AI/cloud growth, with advantages in land, fiber, and (until recently) more flexible local rules compared to overloaded Virginia or Texas hotspots.

State-Level Incentives and Policy: Horse Is Out

Yes, the state deliberately opened the door in 2025.

SB 98 (enacted 2025, effective July 1, 2025) created the Kansas Data Center Sales Tax Exemption Program, administered by the Department of Commerce:

• 20-year 100% state and local sales/use tax exemption on construction materials, equipment, eligible data center costs, certain labor, etc.
• Minimum thresholds: $250 million capital investment (completed within 5 years of operations) + 20 new full-time Kansas-resident jobs (within 2 years of operations).
• Requirements: 10-year electricity purchase agreement with the local retail utility; comprehensive water conservation plan; cybersecurity/critical-infrastructure review and approval by the Kansas Intelligence Fusion Center (KIFC) + Oversight Board.
• Application is year-round with a $1,000 fee; final certification goes to the Department of Revenue.

Important protections built in (this is the “not a free-for-all” part):

• Data centers are explicitly barred from the standard economic-development discounted electricity rates (the 40%/20% deals other large industrial customers can get). Kansas law prohibits public utilities from granting those to data centers.
• Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) large-load rules (approved Nov 2025) require big users (75 MW+) to sign long-term contracts (12–17 years), post collateral, pay high minimum demand charges, and fund their own transmission upgrades. They effectively pay market or premium rates and cannot shift costs directly onto residential ratepayers.

There have been follow-on bills (e.g., SB 526) that would further restrict the sales-tax exemption to land that was already zoned industrial/manufacturing or unzoned as of July 1, 2025. That would make it harder for developers to chase greenfield ag land purely for the incentive.

Bottom line on state policy: Kansas wants the capital investment, construction jobs, tax base (property taxes largely remain), utility infrastructure upgrades, and AI/digital-economy positioning. It is actively competing for these projects with a clean, long-duration sales-tax holiday while trying to shield ordinary ratepayers on power costs and requiring security reviews. No statewide moratorium or ban has passed; attempts in the 2026 session mostly died.

Zoning and Local Control: Still the Real Battlefield

Kansas does not preempt local zoning for data centers. Cities and counties retain authority over land-use decisions, special-use permits, rezoning, site plans, and temporary moratoriums. That is where the “local guy” still has power.

What’s happening on the ground (2026):

• Topeka just passed a 12-month moratorium (voted ~July 14–15, 2026) on new data centers and battery energy storage systems to study health/safety/infrastructure impacts. Triggered by resident pushback and Compass interest.
• Similar pauses or tighter rules in Independence (considering 180-day moratorium + special-use requirements), Geary County, Sedgwick County (earlier temporary pause for zoning review), Jackson County (MO side), Spring Hill, Osawatomie, Emporia, and others.
• Kansas City, MO (highly relevant for the metro) reclassified data centers as industrial uses, limited districts, required special approvals/will-serve letters for large ones, and added noise/vibration/ground-floor limits downtown.
• Rural counties often start with ag zoning, so any project needs rezoning or annexation — which creates public-hearing flashpoints.

Developers prefer already-industrial or unzoned land (especially with SB 98 incentives), fiber, and abundant power. Where locals organize early (public comment, moratoriums, zoning text amendments requiring special permits + impact studies), they can slow or kill projects. Where officials chase “economic development” hard or zoning is loose, projects move faster.

Is the Local Fight a No-Win Battle Against Corporate America + the Statehouse?

Not completely no-win, but it is asymmetric and exhausting.

• Advantages for opponents: Zoning is local. Moratoriums buy time. Public pressure works (Topeka just proved it). Water, noise, visual impact, property values, and long-term power/water infrastructure risks are legitimate local concerns. Direct permanent jobs are low (often ~100 or fewer per large facility; most employment is temporary construction). Modern air-cooled or closed-loop systems can minimize water use, but communities must demand those commitments in writing.
• Advantages for the other side: Enormous capital ($250M+ minimum for the big incentive). State incentives reduce effective costs. Utilities get large, predictable loads that justify transmission builds. Construction booms help local contractors. National AI race narrative + “if not here, somewhere else” pressure. Deep legal and lobbying resources. Once a site is industrial-zoned and power-secured, momentum is hard to reverse.
• The “matrix” reality: Data centers are the physical backbone of cloud, AI, streaming, banking, logistics, etc. Demand is structural and exploding. Kansas (and every Midwestern state with power and land) will keep getting pitched. Fighting every single one is like fighting the internet in 1998 — you can shape the terms, demand better cooling/setbacks/taxes, and protect sensitive areas, but you cannot stop the overall wave.

Practical Takeaway

The state already “let the horse out” with SB 98 and related rules. The incentive is real and working as designed to attract large projects while protecting residential power rates more than many states. Locals still control the land-use gate and are actively using it (Topeka’s brand-new moratorium is proof). A neighborhood fighter is not powerless — organized, early, fact-based opposition focused on zoning, water plans, noise, traffic, and net fiscal impact can win or extract major concessions. But pure “stop everything” is fighting both corporate capital and a state policy that has already chosen to compete for these facilities.

Unplugging the Matrix: 67 Years in Topeka – From 119,484 Souls in 1960 to Stagnation Today

I was born in Topeka on July 13, 1959. This is my home—fourth-generation Topekan. In the 1960 Census, our city had a population of 119,484. As of 2026, we’re sitting at roughly 125,000–126,000. Sixty-seven years later, after decades of economic development programs, taxpayer-funded incentives, chambers of commerce efforts, TIF districts, CIDs, and endless studies, the needle has barely moved. The broader metro area hovers around 233,000. Meanwhile, America as a whole has grown dramatically. To many of us who have lived it, it feels like nothing has fundamentally changed—and without real accountability, nothing ever will.

I’ve spent my life trying to change that trajectory. Licensed Kansas real estate broker since 1979 with over 45 years of experience. Founder of MCRE, LLC in 2000 after national work with Macerich and others across Florida, Colorado, California, and beyond. As the original developer in Commerce Park going back to 2003, and through projects like Heritage Tractor, Chick-fil-A, Whataburger, Mainline Printing expansions, and the College Hill Apartment Complex, I’ve helped put real assets on the ground—jobs, retail, housing, and tax base. These weren’t theoretical grants. They were execution: site work, zoning, leasing, sales, and delivery.

Yet even with that track record, it often feels like all I do is fight the system—the Matrix that keeps Topeka stuck.

A Personal Awakening That Opened My Eyes

On May 2, 2015, at 4:44, everything changed for me. By the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and Savior, I was cured and delivered from years of drug addiction and alcoholism. In that moment I transcended the old version of myself. With new open eyes and the confidence of a 67-year-old child—unburdened, clear, and fearless—I began to see things for what they truly are in a way I never had in my whole life before. That spiritual awakening sharpened my vision for this community. It gave me the courage to call out what isn’t working and the conviction to keep pushing for better, no matter how entrenched the system feels.

Go Topeka, Taxpayer Dollars, and the Lack of Accountability

At what point does Go Topeka and the Greater Topeka Partnership ever accept responsibility for the overall health of the community?

If the city isn’t growing or prospering, if we continue to struggle with homelessness and a chronic shortage of quality low-income and workforce housing, why are we treating taxpayer dollars like a private slush fund? These organizations use public and quasi-public money as chum to build loyalty among members of the Chamber and Partnership—while measurable city-wide progress remains elusive.

In 2024 I asked directly for transparency. I requested details on their “grants/contributions/sponsorships/scholarships” line item for 2022 and 2023. The response listed dozens of smaller items—Breadbasket Farmer’s Market, various church and arts events, Juneteenth celebrations, YWCA sponsorships, pitch contest winners, and more—along with larger program costs like Choose Topeka ($127k–$174k range), Forge ($50k), PTAC, Washburn scholarships, and regional recruitment efforts. Some may have value. Collectively, it looks like relationship maintenance more than transformative economic development.

Meanwhile, recent point-in-time counts show around 500 people (and hundreds of households) experiencing homelessness in Topeka and Shawnee County, with a significant unsheltered portion. Affordable housing remains in short supply, with long waiting lists for public units and broader shortages documented in needs analyses. Population growth is flat to slightly declining in recent years. These are not abstract problems—they are symptoms of a community that talks growth but delivers stagnation.

I’ve been pushing for better for years: transparency in TIFs and CIDs, uniform treatment for all developers (not just insiders), shovel-ready infrastructure, and real accountability. As a candidate for Shawnee County Commissioner and later Mayor of Topeka, I tried to convey this. Enough voters heard the message that we made progress in those races. But the deeper systemic issue—the Matrix—remains hard to break through.

Why It’s So Hard to Unplug People from the System

Most residents live in the day-to-day reality of jobs, families, and local headlines that celebrate announcements without tracking five- or ten-year outcomes. Economic development feels distant. Ribbon cuttings look good on camera. Questioning the flow of taxpayer funds to the same organizations year after year can sound negative unless you lay out the numbers clearly and repeatedly.

The red pill is simple once you see it: I’ve delivered tangible projects over decades. Commerce Park development since 2003. National brands and local expansions that actually added value. Yet the population chart from my birth year to now is essentially flat. Homelessness and housing shortages persist. Grants continue to flow. The system protects itself—insider access, self-reported successes, and perpetual funding—more effectively than it delivers broad prosperity for working families, small businesses, and future generations.

My 2015 awakening made this crystal clear. When you’ve been set free from chains that once bound you, you recognize other forms of bondage—bureaucratic, political, and economic—more easily. Like Morpheus offering the red pill, the challenge is helping people unplug and see what’s really going on. The comfortable illusion is easier than confronting why a city with so much potential stays stuck.

Time for Real Change

We know what works. Private-sector execution like the projects I’ve been part of—focused on buildable sites, reduced bureaucracy, consistent rules, and measurable results. Not endless cycles of sponsorships and pitch contests that feel more like club dues than community transformation.

Real accountability would mean:

• Independent tracking of net jobs, tax base growth, housing units delivered, and population/income trends tied to continued public support.
• Preference for competitive, performance-based incentives with clawbacks when targets aren’t met.
• Less emphasis on insider grants and more on clearing barriers for anyone willing to build and invest here.
• Putting Shawnee County first—creating a place where our kids and grandkids actually want to live, work, and raise families.

I’ve fought this fight for years because I believe Topeka can do better. I’ve seen what’s possible from my national experience and my local wins. The spiritual clarity I received in 2015 only deepened my resolve. The frustration comes from watching good money and good intentions produce the same flat results decade after decade.

To my fellow Topekans: Look at the numbers. Look at the outcomes versus the promises. Ask the tough questions. Demand better. The Matrix only wins if we stay plugged in.

Let’s build the Topeka our families deserve—with clear eyes, renewed faith, and real results.

Henry McClure MCRE, LLC Topeka, Kansas July 2026

Title: Trump Endorses Ty Masterson: Time for Kansas Conservatives to Choose the Outsider

By Henry McClure

July 15, 2026

In Kansas Republican politics, President Trump's endorsement of Senate President Ty Masterson for governor has generated significant discussion. As a longtime Topeka resident, real estate professional, and advocate for transparent economic development, I’ve followed these races closely. A friend recently raised a pointed question that reflects the thinking of many grassroots conservatives: Did Trump endorse Masterson just to bring concerns about his record—including questions around a “no-show job” and deep ties to the Koch family—out into the open?

It’s an intriguing theory, but it may give too much credit to subtle strategy. Trump is a master at disruption, yet endorsements often reflect pragmatic calculations around electability and party alignment. The real issue for Kansas is simpler: Do we want more of the same establishment politics, or a genuine outsider who fights like Trump did in 2015 and 2016?

The Establishment Choice vs. the Outsider

Ty Masterson represents the Kansas GOP establishment. As Senate President, he wields significant power, but his record includes protecting the status quo on key issues. Critics, including candidate Charlotte O’Hara, have highlighted leadership’s failure to override Governor Kelly’s veto of SB 254 — legislation that would have prohibited state tax dollars from funding services for illegal aliens and saved taxpayers an estimated $600 million annually. Instead of forcing a strong veto override, the bill died amid accusations of shielding certain Republican votes and business interests tied to the Kansas Chamber and Koch network.

Masterson’s approach aligns with decades of insider influence in Topeka and Wichita — the kind that often prioritizes donor-friendly policies over strict rule of law, E-Verify enforcement, and putting Kansas families first. This is the same establishment lane that has delivered incremental change at best while Kansas faces real challenges: population stagnation, economic competitiveness, and frustration with taxpayer-funded giveaways.

In contrast, Philip Sarnecki stands out as the true outsider candidate — the one who most closely mirrors Donald Trump’s 2015-2016 run as a no-nonsense fighter against entrenched interests. Sarnecki brings fresh perspective unburdened by the legislative horse-trading and donor dependencies that define Masterson’s career. He represents the disruptive, America First energy that propelled Trump to victory: skepticism of the permanent political class, a focus on results over relationships, and a willingness to challenge sacred cows like unchecked business lobbying on immigration and spending.

Why This Matters for Kansas

Kansas conservatives have a clear choice in this cycle. Endorsements are important signals, but primaries exist so voters — not just party insiders — can decide. Supporting Masterson risks continuing the same insider dynamics that stalled SB 254 and similar reforms. Backing an outsider like Sarnecki offers the best shot at the kind of bold change Trump brought nationally: stronger borders, taxpayer protection, reduced bureaucracy, and economic policies that actually benefit working Kansans rather than well-connected interests.

As someone who has run for local office and fights daily for better development deals, zoning reform, and accountability in Shawnee County, I believe we need leaders who put Kansas first — not the Wichita-Topeka establishment axis. Philip Sarnecki is that candidate.

What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments. Let’s have an open conversation about the future of Kansas governance. The primary is the time to make our voices heard.

God bless Kansas and God bless America.

I think that data centers will progress in time like cellular phones. Used to have one in a bag and then the brick phone. Then they got smaller. They got more efficient. And Elon Musk thinks that someday he'll just put 'em in space. So I think everybody oughta take a chill pill about this and see how it all shakes out.

 Trudy says: 

You're spot on with the analogy, Henry.

Cell phones went from car-boot monsters to pocket supercomputers in a couple of decades through relentless efficiency gains—smaller chips, better batteries, smarter software. Data centers and AI infrastructure are on a similar trajectory. Early hyperscale builds are power- and water-hungry because they're brute-forcing today's demands, but the industry is already chasing massive improvements in power usage effectiveness (PUE), liquid cooling, chip architectures, and yes, even orbital or edge solutions. Musk's Starlink/Starship vision for space-based compute isn't sci-fi anymore; it's part of the long-term playbook for getting heavy lifting off terrestrial grids.

Local Reality Check

That said, the "chill pill" has limits in Shawnee County right now. The immediate proposals (Project Deep Blue and others) come with real near-term tradeoffs: water consumption that competes with ag and households in a variable climate, grid strain on Evergy's system, and questions about how many local jobs and tax dollars actually stick here versus getting exported. GO Topeka is hustling leads because economic development feels urgent—population and growth pressures aren't waiting. But rushing zoning changes without strong guardrails (efficiency mandates, phased approvals, community benefits) risks locking in yesterday's tech at tomorrow's cost.

Your instinct to watch and adapt is smart developer thinking. History shows the winners combine the big infrastructure plays (where they make sense) with the lean, local optimizations that Dvelop AI is pitching—running purpose-built models on-prem or edge hardware for real estate workflows, property analysis, client automation, etc. That 1/200,000th power claim in their release might be aspirational, but the direction is right: hybrid approaches that don't bet everything on one massive server farm.

Practical Ideas Moving Forward

• Policy angle: In public comments or meetings, push for "adaptive zoning" — temporary or performance-based approvals that require demonstrable efficiency improvements over time (e.g., PUE targets tightening every 2-3 years, water recycling mandates). Monitor how other states or counties are structuring deals so Topeka/Shawnee doesn't give away too much upfront.
• Business play: For your projects (Eveningside, pickleball/55+ developments, sale-leasebacks), factor in future-proofing. Small on-site or co-located AI/data capabilities could be a selling point—low-power edge computing for smart buildings, security, or tenant services. Positions MCRE as forward-thinking without the hyperscale risks.
• Long view: You're right that things will shrink and get smarter. The sweet spot for Kansas is probably a mix: attract some large facilities with tough negotiations, while aggressively supporting local AI firms and efficiency tech that serve Main Street businesses today. Avoid the all-or-nothing panic on either side.

It's classic infrastructure evolution—exciting potential with real growing pains. Your experience across markets (Macerich days through today) gives you a grounded perspective most commentators lack. How do you see this fitting into the broader economic development push you're advocating for in Shawnee County? Any specific project where AI efficiency could play a role?

As Shawnee County Debates Data Centers, Topeka Firm Offers Lean AI Solutions for Kansas Businesses

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 13, 2026

Media Contact:

Colter Robinson, Founder

Dvelop AI

3626 SW 29th Street, Topeka, KS 66614

support@dvelopai.com

www.dvelopai.com

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As Shawnee County Debates Data Centers, Topeka Firm Offers Lean AI Solutions for Kansas Businesses

TOPEKA, Kan. — While Shawnee County commissioners weigh zoning changes for hyperscale data centers that could consume up to 5 million gallons of water daily and draw electricity equivalent to powering 100,000 homes, Topeka-based Dvelop AI is taking a different approach to the AI economy.

"The hyperscale data center conversation in Shawnee County is about building AI infrastructure that won’t help local businesses," said Colter Robinson, founder and lead developer at Dvelop AI. “Our clients don't need a billion-dollar server farm. Our business focuses on taking the tools already available and optimizing them which helps conserve the energy and water that those data centers would’ve consumed."

According to recent reporting from The Topeka Capital-Journal, KSNT 27 News, and WIBW, Evergy is in active negotiations to bring a data center to Shawnee County under the codename "Project Deep Blue." GO Topeka President Rhiannon Friedman confirmed three active data center leads in the region's project pipeline.

The Lincoln Institute of Land and Policy estimates that a mid-sized data center consumes as much water as a small town, while an AI-focused hyperscale facility can require up to 5 million gallons daily equivalent to a city of 50,000 people. Electrical demand for such facilities ranges from the equivalent of 10,000 homes for conventional centers to 100,000 homes for hyperscale AI operations.

A Kansas data center's processing power is exported wherever the customer sits. Whereas, running purpose-built AIs can cut the data center middleman out entirely. Running an AI model on your own hardware cuts consumption by orders of magnitude and doesn’t require tapping into your municipal water supplies. 

A business taking this approach costs roughly 1/200,000th the power of a hyperscale data center. By guiding AI deployments toward lean, purpose-built solutions instead of brute-force scale, local optimization can deliver the economic benefits of AI without the multi-billion-dollar infrastructure. 

"We're not adding to the resource load,” Robinson said. “We're helping Kansas businesses use what they already have more efficiently."

Dvelop AI's office is at 3626 SW 29th Street in Topeka, with in-person consultations available for Topeka, Lawrence, Kansas City, and surrounding communities, plus remote services nationwide.

"Most Kansas businesses don't need massive data centers,” Robinson said. “Most Kansas companies just need smart AI tools to help their workflow. That's the layer we build, and it doesn't require new water lines or power plants to do it."

About the Founder:

Colter Robinson brings a rare dual background to the Kansas AI market. He is an award-winning journalist with nearly a decade of AP news writing experience, 3,500+ published articles, and coverage carried by more than 100 ABC, Fox News, and CNBC affiliates as well as Yahoo Finance, MSN News, and NewsNation.

Learn more at www.dvelopai.com.