Project Taurus, a data center proposed by Calif.-based Raeden, is planned for the old Intel chip manufacturing facility located just southwest of the intersection of Garden of the Gods Road and Centennial Boulevard. (The Gazette, Jerilee Bennett) Weeks after a packed community meeting concerning a proposed AI data center off Garden of the Gods Road, former city and national leaders are speaking out on its merits, citing its potential to prime the economy for explosive growth. Former Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers has said data centers like Project Taurus are a critical tool the city must have to remain relevant as a national military and business hub. But some residents in the city are still wary of the impact on water use, power and the noise they may generate. As the military and commercial need for AI increases, Project Taurus may, as a significant piece of tech infrastructure, prime the city’s economy for explosive growth, according to Suthers, and retired Gen.…