'Once-in-a-lifetime' win: Construction unions hail Independence AI factory approval

NewsLocal NewsMissouriJackson County Actions Facebook Tweet Email 'Once-in-a-lifetime' win: Construction unions hail Independence AI factory approval Prev Next Unions are among the most ardent supporters of the Nebius AI factory, which Independence approved a tax abatement for Monday, and the reasons run deeper than money. By: Tod Palmer Posted KSHB 41 reporter Tod Palmer covers sports business and eastern Jackson County, including Independence. Share your story idea with Tod.—Opponents of a sprawling data center in Independence’s Little Blue Valley were vocal, but union members also made their presence felt at recent Independence City Council meetings.“Jobs, careers — that's why,” said Ralph Oropeza, business manager for the Greater Kansas City Building and Construction Trades Council. “These type of construction jobs bring a lot of work to our local area, our local workforce, and it keeps our area standards very healthy.”The Independence City Council approved tax incentives — in the form of Chapter 100 industrial revenue bonds — that will allow Nebius, a Dutch AI company, to build a 400-acre, $150-billion AI factory in eastern Independence.The project drew a fight from neighbors, environmental groups and anti-AI advocates — one that isn’t over. But unions lined up behind the project, and it’s easy to be cynical about labor’s support for the data center. 'Once-in-a-lifetime' win: Construction unions hail Independence AI factory approval “We're talking about hundreds of mi...