KEARNEY— Kearney is positioning itself as a welcoming destination for data centers while other Nebraska communities impose temporary bans amid concerns about energy use, water consumption and noise. The city recently adopted one of Nebraska’s first zoning ordinances specifically regulating data centers, including a 55-decibel noise limit, water and wastewater studies, and a requirement that projects receive a conditional use permit from the City Council. The regulations come as Kearney considers Tech One Crossing, a massive data center campus that would replace an existing cryptocurrency mining operation and eventually consume 368 megawatts of electricity—more than Kearney, Grand Island and Hastings combined. The company that would ultimately use the facility has not been publicly disclosed.

Kearney has pursued data center development for more than a decade, viewing the industry as an opportunity to attract investment, jobs and significant tax revenue. Tech One Crossing would be developed in phases by Worldwide Mission Critical, with the first phase potentially completed in late 2027 and full capacity reached around 2030. While city officials say the new regulations balance economic development with protections for residents, some community members remain concerned about the project's enormous scale and the anonymity of its eventual customer. The Kearney City Council is scheduled to consider the project's conditional use permit on Sept. 8.

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