Microsoft's ambitious plans to further expand its presence in Mount Pleasant, Wisconsin, have received unanimous approval from local officials. The tech giant will add 15 data centers on two lots near an existing facility, marking a major step forward for the area following years of economic uncertainty after Foxconn's scaled-back manufacturing plans.
The two new lots, located just northwest of Microsoft's current site, will feature nearly 9 million square feet of building area and include three proposed substations. According to project documents, the taxable value of the developments is expected to exceed $13 billion.
Mount Pleasant's village board president, David DeGroot, emphasized the significance of the project during a public discussion, addressing concerns about the nature of the jobs the data centers would bring. "I'm addressing this to all of the union folks that are here", DeGroot said. "When I heard that these jobs are temporary from somebody, if I was you, I would take umbrage to that, because it's my understanding that you are going to be out there on those sites for the next 10 years, doing your jobs, plying your trade, and I don't see anything temporary in 10 years."
The project is expected to provide construction jobs for a decade, according to DeGroot, offering a significant economic boost to the region.
This project comes years after Foxconn's much-publicized plans to build a $10 billion manufacturing plant in the same area fell short of expectations. Originally touted as creating 13,000 jobs, Foxconn’s scaled-back efforts left the village of Mount Pleasant with heavy debts of over $250 million by 2023.
In contrast, Microsoft’s expansion appears to be more warmly welcomed. Feedback during public discussions was largely supportive, with six people voicing their approval of the project and three raising concerns.
Microsoft, along with competitors like Amazon, Google, and Oracle, is racing to build data centers to support the growing demand for generative artificial intelligence models, many of which rely on Nvidia chips for training and execution. Data centers like these are critical for Microsoft to fulfill contracts with OpenAI and other clients.
However, finding suitable sites for such facilities has proven challenging for tech companies. In nearby Caledonia, Wisconsin, Microsoft abandoned plans to rezone land for a data center in response to widespread community opposition. By contrast, Mount Pleasant homeowners and officials have generally been more receptive to the company's plans.
The new data centers will not require additional water beyond the 8.4 million gallons per year already allocated from the nearby city of Racine, according to Samuel Schultz, Mount Pleasant's community development director.
Having received approval from the Mount Pleasant village board, Microsoft is now set to submit its final civil engineering plans and apply for building permits. This marks the latest milestone in a project expected to redefine the region's economy while cementing Wisconsin’s role in the data-driven future of technology.
