Michigan Residents Voted Down a $16 Billion Stargate AI Data Center, Then Construction Began Anyway

Michigan residents voted down a $16 billion Stargate AI data center, then construction began anyway

Unsurprisingly, the few thousand residents of the small community of Saline Township in Washtenaw County, Michigan, were worried about OpenAI and Oracle's massive new $16 billion Stargate data center. Their concerns covered the usual issues: excessive water usage, the power draw on the regional grid, a huge increase in traffic,...Read Entire Article

Michigan Township Opposition Fails to Stop OpenAI Data Center

May 8, 2026 – Public backlash and opposition from local officials have failed to stop construction of a massive OpenAI data center project in rural Michigan.Construction is now underway in Saline on a major facility tied to the Stargate Project, a joint initiative between OpenAI and Oracle that aims to invest $500 billion in artificial intelligence infrastructure across the United States over the next four years.The $16 billion development is ex…