Chicago Residents Push Mayor to Halt $9B Quantum Campus
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has faced Southeast Side residents at a Saturday town hall who demanded he withdraw city support from the planned $9 billion Quantum Shore development. The Mayor declined to revoke permits or withdraw funding, instead referencing a recent executive order concerning data centers. The contention surrounds a quantum computing campus already under construction, which complicates opposition efforts.
Town hall recap
Johnson attended a “Community over Quantum” event, organized by Southside Together, at Arnold Mireles Academy in South Chicago, as reported by Block Club Chicago. Attendees chanted for him to reverse permits and halt the project, but he didn’t agree to any of their demands.
Southside Together’s demands include the city revoking existing permits, blocking future ones, canceling a City Council-approved tax rebate for businesses on the site, and retracting the city’s $5 million commitment. The group also asked Johnson to publicly oppose the project outright. He declined, citing his call for a moratorium on new data centers.
According to Block Club’s reporting on August 17, Johnson told the crowd:
“Here are my values: That innovation cannot take place at the expense of environmental justice, that (…) development cannot happen at the expense of utilities and working people, and that private investment cannot happen at the expense of our overall public health.”
Johnson departed before the event concluded, drawing boos as Southside Together member Lia Terrell criticized his stance.
Project funding and location
Local leaders cited by Block Club estimate the campus will cost approximately $9 billion. Illinois has committed $500 million, and Cook County tax incentives are projected to be $175 million over 30 years. Johnson has pledged $5 million through the city’s housing and economic development bond program. Both Gov. JB Pritzker and Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle support the project.
The development is situated on the former US Steel South Works property along Lake Michigan. Related Midwest is leading a 128-acre quantum campus within this site, which includes the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. PsiQuantum, IBM, and Infleqtion have announced their involvement, alongside Illinois universities and DARPA.
Opponents voice concerns that the project could strain electricity and water infrastructure, increase utility costs, and displace nearby residents. Johnson, as reported by CBS Chicago, stated that no data center is planned for the quantum campus itself, and the city has no pending license application for a separate data center site. The property, a former steel mill, received approval for a new cleanup plan from the Illinois EPA late last year. Phase one construction commenced in October 2025.