The largest one-time economic investment in Michigan history is set after the Saline Township Board reached a consent agreement with Related Digital to build a massive data center on 250 acres of farmland. Related Digital’s partners in the project are Oracle and Chat GPT maker Open AI.
The board had initially turned down the project because of pushback from residents, but reached the consent agreement instead of facing a lengthy legal battle after Related Digital, joined by locals who planned to sell their land for the project, filed suit. The agreement reportedly limits the project’s water use while it secures millions of dollars for Saline Township’s fire department, public buildings, and farmland preservation.
“This transformational new Stargate OpenAI facility, built by Oracle and Related Digital, will create 2,500 good-paying union construction jobs, more than 450 permanent high-skill, high-paying jobs on site, and 1,500 more in the community while helping us lead the future of advanced manufacturing and technology,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a statement. “I’m grateful to these cutting-edge companies for betting on Michigan, building on our work to compete for and win big projects in next-generation industries from cars and clean energy to semiconductors and batteries.”
The more than one gigawatt project will be one of the most advanced AI infrastructure facilities in the U.S., especially when it comes to its efficient use of land, water, and power, according to a release from the governor’s office, which went on to say the project will not require any additional power generation to operate, uses a closed loop water system that will not require any additional water from our Great Lakes, and preserves more than 700 acres of open space that will be retained and used as farmland, wetland, and forest.
An MDOT traffic study awarded the project an ‘A’ and found that it will have minimal effects on local traffic. Related Digital will also be investing an additional $14 million, as requested by the Saline Township Board, in local fire departments, a community investment fund, and farmland preservation trust.
Michigan was selected for the project because of the state’s strong construction and tech workforce, capable of both building and operating the facility. Another key factor was bipartisan legislation Governor Whitmer signed to lower the cost of building high-tech AI infrastructure. Additionally, proximity to two of the state’s premier universities, the University of Michigan and Eastern Michigan University, offers a pipeline of local talent and an opportunity for young Michiganders to start their in-demand, high-paying careers in Michigan.
“We will continue working together at the state level to win more projects so we can create even more good-paying, local jobs for Michiganders and grow our economy,” Whitmer said. “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.”
