Data centers in Jones County, Iowa: 1 project mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

The only data center project mapped in Jones County is a Cedar Falls company's proposed bitcoin-mining site at the Cascade Industrial Park, on the Jones-Dubuque county line. Most news coverage and Cascade officials describe it as a Dubuque County project, and its development agreement was filed with the Dubuque County Recorder, but the industrial park's coordinates put this parcel just inside Jones County. Simple Mining, backed by the Cascade Economic Development Corporation, wants to install about 40 containerized mining units on four acres, each about 160 square feet, and must disclose the project's maximum power demand before the land sale closes.

Cascade Mayor Steve Knepper objected that the payments in the development agreement were redacted from everyone but the development corporation, and had been redirected from the city to that private group. "That should trouble anybody when there's that much blacked out in an agreement," he said. Cascade then imposed a one-year data center moratorium, and the development corporation's president, Ken McDermott, said the pause could affect whether Simple Mining pays anything at all. Simple Mining did not respond to the Telegraph Herald's interview requests after June 23.

Across eastern Iowa, cities are writing rules for crypto mines and data centers; in May 2026 Cedar Falls rejected zoning changes that would have allowed another Simple Mining site next to a planned gas plant.

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.