Vince Danh

On concerns about hyperscale data centers

These are the right questions to be asking. The concerns I hear most come down to three things: resources, transparency, and return. Water is the big one. Sioux Falls depends on a finite water supply, and hyperscale data centers can consume millions of gallons a day for cooling. Residents want to know what that means for long-term capacity, especially as our city grows. Power is second. Large-scale facilities put real pressure on the grid, and that cost doesn't always show up in the headline announcement. And then there's the question of return. Data centers bring significant investment but relatively few jobs. When a city offers tax incentives or fast-tracks permits, residents deserve to know what the community actually gets in exchange, and whether the deal was negotiated in the open. At the root of all three is transparency. People aren't against growth. They just want to be part of the conversation before the ribbon is cut.

How they’d address those concerns

Start with honesty about the tradeoffs. That's the baseline, and it matters more than people might think. On water and infrastructure, I'd push for independent capacity assessments before any large facility is approved, not after. If a data center's water and power demands outpace what our system can sustainably handle, we need to know that upfront. Responsible growth means planning ahead, not catching up. On incentives, I support a clear community benefit framework. Any public subsidy should come with measurable commitments: local hiring targets, utility impact mitigation, and community reinvestment. The deal should be readable by a regular Sioux Falls resident, not just a lawyer. And on transparency, I'd advocate for public input sessions early in the process, before site selection is finalized, so neighborhoods have a real voice. Not just a comment period after decisions are already being made. Data centers aren't inherently good or bad for Sioux Falls. What matters is whether we negotiate from a position of informed, community-centered values. I grew up translating complex systems for my family. That's the work I'd bring to this table too.