Coffman Draws Line on Data Center Leverage: ‘We Won’t Be Bullied’
Aurora Mayor Mike Coffman didn’t mince words this week when addressing the growing tension between City Hall and a major data center developer pushing for expanded operations near the Buckley Space Force Base corridor.
“Regardless of the litigation risk that the city may face by the data center developer,” Coffman told the Sentinel during a sit-down interview Tuesday, “we have a responsibility to our ratepayers and our infrastructure to negotiate terms that actually work for Aurora, not just the bottom line of an out-of-state LLC.”
The remarks come as the Council prepares for a pivotal vote on a revised development agreement for the QTS/Verizon campus expansion along East 6th Avenue. Sources close to negotiations say the developer has hinted at legal action if the city enforces stricter water-cooling recirculation standards and peak-demand energy caps—standards Council adopted unanimously last February after the summer ‘23 grid strain scared residents from CentreTech to Tallyn’s Reach.
For homeowners in Murphy Creek and Saddle Rock, the stakes feel personal. “We conserved water during the drought surcharge last year while these facilities ran chillers 24/7,” said Karen M., a 20-year Aurora resident. “If the Mayor is finally holding the line on infrastructure impact fees, he has my vote.”
Coffman confirmed the city’s legal team has preemptively drafted a memorandum defending the Council’s police power to regulate utility load. “Aurora isn’t a company town,” he added. “We build for the long haul.”
The Council work session is scheduled for Monday at 6:30 p.m. at the Aurora Municipal Center. Public comment is expected to run late.
