BELLEVUE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE • CHAMBER LUNCH
DATA CENTERS:
IN THE CROSSHAIRS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026 • 11:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Westin Bellevue | 600 Bellevue Way NE
Register NowEarly bird pricing ends September 4
THE CONVERSATION
From Benign to Battleground
Data centers went from the benign to a major political fight in an instant. They now run through the center of almost every hot button issue from affordability, energy, artificial intelligence, income inequality, water, jobs, even neighborhood character. They also remain a key factor in our economic competitiveness.
This program separates myth from fact, and shines a light on one of the most discussed and least understood foundations of our modern economy.
Myth vs. Fact
What data centers actually are, what they do, and where the public debate gets them wrong.
The Hot Button Issues
Affordability, energy, artificial intelligence, income inequality, water, jobs, and neighborhood character.
Economic Competitiveness
The jobs, tax revenue, and investment at stake, and how Washington stays in the running for it.
ON STAGE
Meet the Speakers
The builder, the regulator, and the customer, on one stage. Few conversations about data centers in Washington happen without them.
Dave Sabey
Founder & Chairman, Sabey Corporation
Dave Sabey founded Sabey Corporation in 1972 and built it into one of the largest privately held data center developers and operators in the country. Sabey Data Centers serves major cloud, enterprise, and healthcare tenants from campuses in Tukwila, Quincy, and East Wenatchee. Few people have shaped Washington's data center story more directly.
Kurt Beckett
Chair, Washington State Energy Facility Site Evaluation Council
Kurt Beckett chairs EFSEC, the state council that decides where Washington's largest energy projects get built. Appointed in January 2025, he brings two decades across clean energy development and deputy CEO roles at the Port of Seattle and the Northwest Seaport Alliance. On power and siting, the questions in this program land on his desk.
Mikaela Winter
Senior Program Manager, Energy Policy, Microsoft
Mikaela Winter leads energy policy strategies at Microsoft, focused on expanding clean, reliable energy systems that enable growth and deliver broad community benefits. Data centers anchor Microsoft's Washington footprint, and few companies have more at stake in how the state answers its energy and siting questions.
TICKETS
Save Your Seat
Every ticket includes a seated lunch and the full program. Early bird pricing ends September 4.
Best Value • Through Sept 4
Early Bird Individual
$75
member | $95 non-member
Beginning Sept 5
Individual
$95
member | $115 non-member
Bring Your Team
Table of 8
$550
member | $675 non-member
Registration takes about two minutes.
A BELLEVUE TRADITION
About the Chamber Lunch Program
The Chamber Lunch is our monthly speaker series, where the most influential legislators, business executives, and other movers-and-shakers from the Bellevue area meet to share ideas, talk shop, and enjoy a meal.
This year's programming features leaders in politics, tech, sports, and more, with Chamber Lunch taking place on the third Thursday of September, October, and each month March through June.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is lunch included?
Yes. Every registration includes a seated lunch at the Westin Bellevue along with the full program.
Do I need to be a Chamber member to attend?
No. Non-member tickets are available for every option. Members save $20 per seat, and membership pays for itself quickly if you attend regularly.
I have a dietary restriction or allergy.
After you register, complete this short form so we can serve you better.
Can I bring my team?
Yes. Tables of 8 are $550 for members and $675 for non-members, and they are the best way to host clients or bring your leadership team to the conversation.
Other questions?
Email events@bellevuechamber.org and our events team will get you an answer.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2026
Be in the Room for This One
One of the most discussed and least understood foundations of our modern economy, over lunch with the people shaping the answer.
Register NowWestin Bellevue | 600 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004
Questions? Email events@bellevuechamber.org