In a unanimous vote that underscored deep public skepticism and mounting concerns over transparency, the Lewiston City Council voted Tuesday night to halt a proposed joint development agreement that would have green-lit a Tier 3 artificial intelligence data center inside Bates Mill No. 3.
The proposal, brought forward by city staff and developer MillCompute LLC, sought approval for what backers described as a “knowledge center” occupying roughly 85,000 square feet of the historic mill building. The agreement was framed as a necessary first step toward a broader public-private partnership involving long-term tax incentives and infrastructure commitments.
Instead, councilors, facing overwhelming public opposition and lingering doubts about the project’s economics, timeline and developer track record, voted unanimously to stop it.
Councilors Cite Public Backlash, Lack of Answers
Councilor Ryn Soule was the first to speak, acknowledging that while the proposal initially generated interest, the volume and substance of public concern could not be ignored. Soule said constituents’ objections were valid and clear and announced she would vote against advancing the agreement.
Councilor Tim Gallant followed, saying his early interest faded as more information emerged. Gallant described the project as unusually large and not well understood by the public and said he was not satisfied with the answers provided to councilors.
Other members echoed those concerns, citing unresolved questions, a compressed timeline and a lack of confidence in moving forward.
Several councilors thanked the city’s community and economic development department for its work, while stressing that effort alone could not overcome gaps in information and public trust.
Councilor David Chittman, citing an engineering background, said concerns about excessive water use from Lake Auburn had been addressed through newer chip-cooling technology, but emphasized that other major issues remained unresolved. Chittim said the project may have had potential but could not proceed within the constraints presented.
Public Process Under Scrutiny
Councilor Scott Harriman said the proposal generated more public feedback than any issue he had handled, estimating roughly 110 emails, about half from Lewiston residents. He said the volume and consistency of the responses made clear that the public opposed moving forward.
Several councilors described the public process as flawed, saying there was little opportunity for meaningful community input before the council was asked to approve the agreement. Others said they lacked sufficient information to justify a “yes” vote.
Citizens Praise Council, Raise Red Flags
During public comment, Lewiston resident Matt Roy praised the council for listening to constituents, calling the vote a rare example of elected officials responding directly to sustained public opposition.
Another speaker, Kiernan Majerus-Collins, sharply criticized the proposal, saying data centers “contribute nothing to the community, they destroy our environment and our economy and they don’t belong in our city.”
Other speakers with experience in data centers, cybersecurity and artificial intelligence raised concerns about the project’s tax structure, long-term economic return and environmental footprint. One warned the proposal could allow the facility to generate hundreds of millions, or more, in revenue while returning only a small fraction of that value to the city over decades.
Speakers also questioned partnering with a company they said lacked a proven track record, contrasting the proposal with data center agreements in other U.S. cities that imposed stricter conditions and clearer public benefits.
Hunter Broussard, a sophomore at Lewiston High School, told councilors that classmates he spoke with opposed the project, citing environmental concerns, water usage, energy consumption and the long-term cultural impact on the city. He said decisions made now would shape Lewiston for decades.
Following council deliberations and public testimony, the council voted unanimously against approving the joint development agreement, effectively ending for now the proposed AI data center at Bates Mill No. 3.
