A $2 billion data center came for Wisconsin's Driftless Area, and residents pushed back

Developers floated a plan for a data center in Wisconsin's Driftless Area that could cost as much as $2 billion, presenting it to Grant County as a source of jobs, tax dollars, and broader economic gains.

But as resident opposition mounted, momentum evaporated. After months of conversations, the people behind the proposal stopped responding.

What happened?

According to Wisconsin Watch, Grant County Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Ron Brisbois spent months discussing the idea with out-of-state developers who were exploring a huge data center near Cassville.

The plan called for a 500-acre "hyperscale" project with a price tag of $1-2 billion. It was expected to bring about 50 permanent jobs and millions of dollars a year in property tax revenue.

In Brisbois' account, the attraction to the area was power. The developers noticed the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line and decided the area could provide the electricity a modern data center needs.

"There's a chunk of power there, Ron, and we need to grab it before someone else does," Brisbois recalled the developers saying, per Wisconsin Watch. "If we don't, someone else will."

He later estimated the project could bring in about $5.5 million annually for schools and local governments.

Even so, the developers never publicly disclosed who they were or finalized a site. As debate spread through local news coverage and social media, resistance grew. After asking about incentives, including a tax increment district, the developers eventually stopped returning Brisbois' calls.

Why does it matter?

The fight reflects a wider national question about data centers: where they should go and who should absorb the impacts that come with them.

Supporters often point to construction work, tax revenue, and gains for local economies.

Critics note that data centers consume vast amounts of electricity and can strain water resources. In Grant County, many residents worried about private wells and what the project could mean for the Driftless Area.

For people living in the region's steep hills, streams, and rural scenery, the concern extended beyond a single facility. They feared one major development could become a gateway to more industrial projects.

Wisconsin Watch reported that as towns worked to adopt moratoriums, the state Public Service Commission moved toward requiring data centers to cover the generation and transmission capacity they would require.

What are people saying?

Resident Pete Moris, who was born in Grant County and works in public relations, told Wisconsin Watch that the secrecy surrounding the proposal was an immediate warning sign. "That set off alarm bells," he said, "because if Ron's talking about it in the paper, then this had to be in the works for a while."

Melodie Betts, a restaurant owner, described the stakes in even sharper terms, telling Wisconsin Watch: "If we don't stop this now, we're going to lose everything that's precious in the Driftless Area. You let one in, you open up the door."

Not everyone was opposed to the proposal. Grant County Board Chair Bob Keeney referred to local supporters as "a silent majority."

Brisbois, meanwhile, said he was disappointed but not shocked by the way things unfolded: "I put a lot of time into this and lost a lot of sleep over it. It stings a bit."

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