Hundreds pack Minnesota open house as Google's $2 billion data center draws protesters, lawsuits

A large crowd filled an open house in Hermantown, Minnesota, where Google sought to calm worries about its planned data center outside Duluth, a project estimated at nearly $2 billion.

The turnout highlighted how skeptical many residents remain, with objections centered on the secrecy surrounding the proposal, potential tax incentives, pollution, and whether the project could raise utility bills.

What happened?

Rather than holding a public-comment session, Google set up the event as an informal Q-and-A, with company staff, construction partners, and Minnesota Power employees answering questions at stations devoted to electricity, water, noise, lighting, and economic effects.

Interest in the meeting had been building for months because, as MPR News reported, residents learned key details only after the development had already been discussed privately. 

Several local officials signed non-disclosure agreements related to the project, deepening anger among community members who said they were excluded from the process.

"We certainly understand the concerns about transparency, and this open house hopefully is a start at rebuilding that trust in the community," said Tyler Huebner, Google's manager of energy market development for the central U.S., per MPR News.

Residents waited in line inside to question Google about what a project of that size could mean for their town, while protesters outside held signs reading "No! Data Center!"

Why does it matter?

Google says growing use of Gmail, YouTube, Maps, cloud services, and AI tools is driving the need for the project.

The proposed Hermantown campus would cover about 280 acres and eventually include four large buildings, each roughly the size of five football fields.

The central issue is the strain a hyperscale data center could put on local resources. 

Hermantown resident Bret Reuter said his biggest concern is the amount of electricity the facility would use and whether that could lead to higher rates for locals.

The incentives tied to the project have become another flashpoint. Google has committed about $130 million toward utilities and infrastructure, while Hermantown is considering a property tax break worth up to $80 million.

Supporters have argued the project could bring economic benefits, but opponents question providing public support to a trillion-dollar tech company while uncertainty remains about land use, environmental impacts, and pressure on the energy system.

Google has countered that its approach differs from that of other major data-center developers, pointing to 700 megawatts of new clean energy and cooling systems intended to keep water use low.

Opponents, however, have said those assurances do not change the size of the project or how it moved ahead.

What are people saying?

Not everyone left feeling convinced.

"The information was helpful, and I appreciate the efforts that Google is making to try to address the concerns," Reuter said. "But I don't know that I'm walking out of here feeling reassured."

Some attendees came away more encouraged. Hermantown business owner Brad Orn said, "I think there's a lot of opportunity here from an economic impact perspective."

Those living closest to the proposed site remain firmly opposed.

Mike Nordin, whose family has lived near the property for generations, said: "The reality is it's damaging, and it's hurtful to a rural area. Not everything can be developed in this world, and that is an area that shouldn't be developed."

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