What’s Nexstar?
Let’s be clear– the Village has never shared the plans for the WGN/Nexstar Data Center apparently currently under development. Someone has the plans… but it appears it isn’t anyone in the Village (or nearby neighborhood). And Trustees Jarosch, Miller, and Schmidt appear to be ok with that.
I wouldn’t tolerate this.
A review of the Village’s own records for 720 Rohlwing Road (the legal location of the WGN Nexstar Data Center project being led by IL-720 Rohlwing Road, LLC) does not contain (as of the publication of this note), any drawings, studies, or considerations for the now four (4) data centers apparently being developed.
On page 26 of the original 2023 pre-annexation agreement there are original three (3) data centers, one sub-station, and a pickleball court that the neighbors were allegedly briefed about back in 2023 (replicated below).
Within the same agreement, IL-720 Rohlwing Road, LLC also agreed to commence construction by July 2025 under Section 23.a of the agreement. However, the planned sub-station couldn’t go on the plot as designed due to technical limitations. This obviously threw a wrench in the plans for Nexstar. It also gave the Village every opportunity to re-engage and re-consider whether an extension (let alone the entire project) was truly necessary and reasonable.
Pictured: Original 2023 Nexstar Proposed Campus
Nexstar’s failure to commence during the original 2-year timeline was clearly a trigger for default under the plain language of the agreement. The delay did not qualify under any Force Majeure language (at least Nexstar never filed a claim stating as much).
Now, the Trustees could have (but didn’t) identify this default on the Agenda at any of the meetings in July 2025, August 2025, September 2025, or before, or thereafter.
Moreover, the electrical power that was needed to be generated for the data center by the originally scoped-for on-site sub-station was seemingly resolved (courtesy of the Village) in January 2026 with the purchase (and demolition) of the VFW’s home.
And while maybe the political winds may have been different in 2022-2023 regarding the desirability of data centers, by the time of the extension in January 2026, there was plenty of evidence (even locally) that the value of data centers as neighbors was up for debate. Questions on pollution (water, noise/vibrational, air) and electricity (use, prioritization, cost), among others were everywhere coming into 2026 (and Americans across the spectrum were (and are) getting fed up).
Despite this, Nexstar sought an extension in January 2026, bringing literally nothing to the table (besides making the project even bigger (not to mention not sharing any of the plans)). Nexstar’s request came up during the Consent Agenda portion of the January 27, 2026 meeting (it was Item E on the Agenda). Nexstar did not even bother to send someone to the meeting.
That January 2026 meeting would have been a great time for Trustees Schmidt, Miller, and/or Jarosch to ask questions on the record, such as: “while we approved three data centers in 2023… why are we hearing the project may have four data centers?” or “are we sure the measures we approved in 2023 will be sufficient to protect the neighborhoods with this bigger, unknown plan?”
Sadly, those questions weren’t asked. No questions were asked.
What did Trustees Schmidt, Miller, and Jarosch do instead?
Well, Trustee Jarosch moved to approve the entire agenda (including Item E) and Trustee Miller seconded it. The Board (also including Trustee Schmidt) then unanimously approved a nearly 2-year extension for the sole benefit of Nexstar without comment.
With neither community notification nor input. You don’t have to take my word for it— You can see it all right here.
And, it’s not as if Trustees Jarosch, Miller, or Schmidt were unable to speak at the meeting; minutes before approving the nearly 2-year gratuitous extension to Nexstar, Trustees Jarosch, Miller, and Schmidt each spoke glowingly about the ribbon cutting for the Rigali Packaging Company they went to a few days before. So, after each individual talked about their fun at the ribbon cutting party for a few minutes, they then shut their mouths, nodded their heads, and murmured out a “yes” to giving Nexstar a nearly 2-year gift without a moment of discussion. Again— this isn’t opinion or spin. It’s all right here.
That’s not who I am.
I can both celebrate something like the Rigali ribbon cutting while also asking hard questions about why a data center applicant is moving the goal posts on commencement, size, scope, timing, etc.
For example, one question I’d have asked (besides the countless ones I would’ve already asked… including “where did the pickleball court go?”) is: why does IL-720 Rohlwing Road, LLC say it is an Illinois LLC on its signing documents in 2023 and 2026, when it has been a Delaware LLC since 2020? Give a look at the Illinois Secretary of State Business Search (search File Number 04312252) and/or the Delaware Secretary of State Business Search (search File Number 5251571). Seems like a strange detail to get wrong from the start.
If IL-720 Rohlwing Road, LLC can’t bother to get something simple like their filing state right in multiple legal documents over the years, how can we trust they’re going to pay attention to highly technical details on pollution? Or noise and nuisance? Or, just being a good neighbor in general? Sure, getting your filing state wrong on multi-million dollar documents may not seem like much, but, to me, every detail matters when you’re talking about potentially putting in a 35 (or 100!) acre data center right next to our neighbors and their families.
“Exceed Exceptional” isn’t just a catchy phrase to me. To me, “Exceed Exceptional” means zero tolerance when it comes to things that could negatively impact the community. It means asking hard questions and demanding answers and accountability. It means always getting the best deal for the community because this is what you demand of a Trustee when you elect him or her (Trustee means “one to whom something is entrusted").
If you elect me to be your Trustee, I’ll demand transparency and conscientiousness from companies like IL-720 Rohlwing Road, LLC. No detail is too small when it comes to taking care of our families and neighbors.
