LANSING, Mich. (WZMQ) – Governor Gretchen Whitmer announced that Michigan will host a new Stargate artificial intelligence data center built by OpenAI partners Oracle and Related Digital, a project her office calls the largest one-time investment in state history.
The multi-billion-dollar facility is expected to create more than 2,500 union construction jobs, 450 permanent high-skill positions on-site, and another 1,500 jobs throughout the community.
“Today, we won the largest economic project in Michigan history,” Whitmer said in a statement. “This transformational facility will create thousands of good-paying jobs while helping us lead the future of advanced manufacturing and technology. I’m grateful to these cutting-edge companies for betting on Michigan.”
But the announcement follows months of heated debate in Saline Township. In this rural Washtenaw County community, residents and officials clashed over the project’s potential environmental impact and its fit with the township’s agricultural identity.
In early September, the Saline Township Board of Trustees voted 4–1 to reject rezoning 575 acres of farmland to make way for the data center. The meeting drew roughly 100 residents, and most opposed the proposal.
Just days after the rezoning denial, Related Digital filed a lawsuit accusing the township of “exclusionary zoning”, claiming local ordinances unfairly restricted landowners’ ability to build on their property.
After weeks of closed-door discussions, the township board voted 4–1 to settle the lawsuit, clearing the way for the project to move forward. The settlement includes several community investments totaling $14 million for local fire services, a farmland preservation trust, and a community investment fund. Related Digital also agreed to preserve more than 700 acres of open land and restore the site if the project is ever decommissioned.
According to the governor’s office, the data center known as OpenAI’s “Stargate” project will use a closed-loop water system that does not draw additional water from the Great Lakes and will operate without requiring new power generation. The Michigan Department of Transportation rated the project an “A” for minimal traffic impact.
The facility will cover about 250 acres of the property and use air-cooling technology to reduce water consumption and noise. Whitmer’s office says its proximity to the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University will provide a steady pipeline of local talent for construction and long-term operations.
“This investment from Oracle and Related Digital sends a simple message to anyone who wants to build the future. You can build it in Michigan,” Whitmer said.
Construction is expected to begin as early as next year, with operations projected to start in 2027.
