Ann Arbor, MI (WOWO) Saline Township, a small farming community south of Ann Arbor, is preparing to host Michigan’s first hyperscale data center. Bridge Michigan reports The Stargate project, led by OpenAI, Oracle, and Related Digital, will include three buildings spanning 28 football fields on 250 acres. The facility is expected to draw enough electricity to power more than a million homes and is slated to open in 2027.

The development has divided the community. Some residents see the project as an opportunity for jobs and increased tax revenue. The center is projected to provide 450 on-site jobs and quadruple the township’s property tax revenue by 2028. Developers have also committed to environmental measures, including a closed-loop cooling system and noise limits at the property line.

Others worry about the impact on the township’s rural character, citing potential light and noise pollution, increased traffic, and changes to farmland. The rapid approval process has also raised concerns among residents, many of whom only learned of the project a few months before construction equipment appeared on site.

State regulators and utilities, including DTE Energy, are reviewing electricity contracts and environmental permits. The data center’s power needs could require billions in utility upgrades, though companies say they will comply with Michigan’s clean energy requirements.

Across the state, other communities are considering or negotiating similar projects, leading to debates about land use, environmental impacts, and the long-term benefits of large-scale data center development.