Updates and timeline

Rockford Monarch Energy hyperscale data center timeline

August 3, 2026: City Council approves a six-month data center moratorium that they say does not apply to the Monarch Energy data center

However: No one, including the current and previous mayor, have shown the public any document that unequivocally binds the city to allow the data center to proceed.

The reality is: Not all agreements are valid and enforceable. If a contract is against public policy (including health and safety dangers, violations of laws and regulations, or contrary to environmental standards and regulations), it can be found to be void in court.

• Rock River Current: City Council approves 6-month data center moratorium, but it doesn’t apply to key piece of land
  
  
  

July 2026: ComEd cancels transmission security agreement with Monarch

• Monarch publicly says its timeline is delayed but it still plans to move ahead with the plans for this data center.

• Rock River Current: Here’s where Rockford data center plans stand after cancellation of ComEd energy deal

July 20, 2026: City Council officially approves TIF expansion

• City council votes to approve the expanded TIF district.
  
  Votes in favor include: Tim Durkee, Jonathan Logemann, Chad Tuneberg, Kevin Frost, Gabrielle Torina, Janessa Neal, Aprel Prunty, Dawn Granath, Frank Beach, Jaime Salgado, Mark Bonne

• Votes against: Gina Meeks, Tamir Bell

• Absent: Karen Hoffman
  
  
  Rock River Current: City Council approves controversial new TIF district in south Rockford
  
  
  

June 29, 2026: Aldermen Meeks and Bell postpone TIF expansion vote

• Aldermen Gina Meeks and Tamir Bell postponed the vote on the proposed TIF expansion.
  
  Rock River Current: Rockford City Council delays vote on proposed TIF district

June 22, 2026: Rockford Planning and Development Committee tentatively approves TIF expansion

• Aldermen Tim Durkee, Dawn Granath and Janessa Neal voted to approve the new expanded TIF.

• Alderwoman Gina Meeks opposed the vote.

• Rock River Current: Rockford aldermen push forward new TIF, proposed industrial development
  
  

June 11, 2026: Monarch Energy signs a tax break deal with the state of Illinois

• FOIA records show that a backdoor tax deal was approved on June 11, 2026
  
  Read the agreement: 2026 Monarch Rock Air LLC Data Center MOU - Redacted
  
  Rock River Current: Rockford data center developer has tax incentive deal in place with the state, records request shows
  
  
  

June 9, 2026: Rockford mayor Tom Mcnamara posts on Facebook advocating for the expanded TIF and saying that that TIF tax breaks will not apply to data centers

• Rock River Current: McNamara says data centers won’t be eligible to benefit from proposed TIF

• Rock River Current: What’s next on a potential Rockford data center with TIF incentives halted?
  
  
  

May 12, 2026: Public Hearing on the proposed TIF

• Public hearing on the proposed TIF district was met with significant community resistance, who filibustered the meeting and expressed opposition for the proposed TIF.
  
  WIFR: South Rockford TIF proposal met with resistance from community
  
  Rock River Current: Rockford data center opponents attempt citizen filibuster at public hearing
  
  
  

April 27, 2026: City Council votes to indefinitely table Our Voice, Our Future resolution

• City council’s Code and Regulation Committee votes to table the resolution indefinitely to revise it internally.
  
  Rock River Current: Rockford alderman’s proposed data center safeguards sent back to square one
  
  
  

April 11, 2026: Aldermen Tamir Bell and Jaime Salgado create the Our Voice, Our Future resolution to set standards for data centers

• Read the proposal: Our Voice Our Futre resolution
  
  Rock River Current: Rockford alderman proposes data center safeguards in far-reaching resolution
  
  
  

March 4, 2026: The City Council approves its “2040 land use map” with two sites designated for possible future data centers

• Read the report: 2040 Future Land Use Report

• WIFR: Rockford City Council approves 2040 Future Land Use Map

March 2026: Joint Review Board recommends approval of the South Rockford Industrial TIF District.

• The Joint Review Board officially recommends expanding the 2011 TIF District to become much larger in preparation for the data center.
  
  Many local residents attend the meeting to make their opposition heard about this plan.
  
  Rock River Current: Residents sound off on data center as panel reviews proposed south Rockford TIF district

November 2025: Monarch Energy files with the Illinois Commerce Commission

• In November 2025, Monarch Energy filed to request 600 megawatts of power for its new planned data center
  
  Illinois Commerce Commission Filing
  
  

October 2025: Monarch Energy releases a disturbing promotional video announcing the “Rock Air” project

• Monarch Energy releases a promotional video to its Youtube channel, stating that the hyperscale center will use three million gallons of water per day in the heat of the summer, and 1,200 megawatts of power.
  
  Youtube video: Monarch Energy - Illinois hyperscale datacenter powered land

October 2025: Winnebago County Chair Joe Chiarelli travels to Texas with Monarch Energy to discuss installing nuclear reactors inside the Rockford data center

• From WIFR: “Dunn and Chiarelli attended the Texas Nuclear Summit in Austin, Texas, around mid-October 2025. Following the trip, R1 staff members messaged with Congressman Eric Sorensen’s team.

  “Monarch Energy asked that we accompany them, and after the week in Austin, the Chairman suggested we give the Congressman an update on where Monarch is going with the Rockford Airport site,” wrote Dunn.

  Chiarelli told WIFR the trip followed Illinois moving away from its nuclear moratorium. He says their summit visit focused on small modular reactors, which could provide on-site power generation to projects like a data center.”
  
  WIFR: Neighbors demand transparency for Monarch Energy’s possible Rockford data center
  

2025: Rockford mayor Tom Mcnamara, Winnebago County Chair Joe Chiarelli, and City Administrator Todd Cagnoni conduct negotiations with Monarch Energy

• Monarch, city officials, and R1 representatives negotiated behind closed doors about the data center terms throughout 2025, FOIA records show.
  

• From WIFR: “Monarch’s COO emailed Mayor Tom McNamara, Winnebago County Chair Joe Chiarelli and Dunn on June 23, 2025, with the subject ‘Monarch Help Wanted.’

  The message included a letter from the company discussing ‘critical state issues on which we could use your support.’”
  

May 2025: City Administrator Todd Cagnoni sends an inducement letter to Monarch COO

• From WIFR: “May 15, 2025, when City Administrator Todd Cagnoni sent an inducement letter — which typically present incentives to possible developers — to Monarch Chief Operating Officer and co-founder Charles Koontz. WIFR requested that document but was rejected; city staff wrote the letter is a record ‘in which opinions are expressed or policies or actions are formulated.’
  
  Koontz responded to Cagnoni’s email, “Thank you for the work and the support on this. We are ready to kick off the next phase as soon as your team is ready!””
  

February 2025: Monarch signs a deal for exclusive purchase rights to land at the data center site

• From WIFR: “The deal, signed February 3, 2025, prevents anyone from outbidding the company for the land that could be home to a data center.”
  
  View the document: Lease - Sale Agreement Gensler-Monarch
  

2024: Monarch Energy visits Rockford with Sen. Tammy Duckworth to discuss building a sustainable jet fuel plant at the site

• In April 2024, Monarch Energy (at that time a “green hydrogen developer”) visited Rockford to discuss building a plant that would turns landfill carbon dioxide into jet fuel.
  
  Monarch Energy has since tabled this plan as IRA benefits expired, instead pivoting to building a data center on the site instead.
  
  Rock River Current: Monarch Energy considers $1B Rockford project to produce sustainable aviation fuel near airport
  
  

2022: Region 1 Planning signs an NDA with Monarch Energy

• Region 1 Planning signs an NDA to work with Monarch in its original plan for a sustainable jet fuel plant at the site. FOIA records indicate they continued to work closely with Monarch on its updated plans for a data center at the same site.
  
  View the NDA
  
  WIFR: Neighbors demand transparency for Monarch Energy’s possible Rockford data center
  
  

2015: Documents about planning in the Rockford area

• Rockford Metropolitan Agency for Planning Regional Freight Rail Site Feasibility Study for Southern Winnebago County (Fehr Grahm, 2015)
  
  
  

2011: Initial TIF District is created in the area of the proposed data center

• TIF District creation documents: AN ORDINANCE APPROVING THE GLOBAL TRADEPARK SOUTH REDEVELOPMENT PLAN AND PROJECT

• More information about TIF Districts:

  • What is a TIF District? How do TIF Districts work? (source: Cook County Clerk)

  • State Requirements for Establishing a TIF District (IL General Assembly)