What happened
OpenAI, Oracle, and Related Digital announced plans to develop a multi-billion-dollar artificial intelligence data center campus in Saline Township, Michigan, spanning 250 acres with over 1 gigawatt of computing capacity. Construction is expected to begin in early 2026, with the facility designed to include three single-story buildings, each spanning 550,000 square feet. The project is part of OpenAI and Oracle's broader Stargate partnership to deliver 4.5 gigawatts of additional capacity across multiple U.S. sites.
Why it matters
- The project will create more than 2,500 union construction jobs and over 450 permanent on-site positions, plus approximately 1,500 additional jobs across the county.
- Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer characterized the investment as "the largest economic project in Michigan history," driven partly by new state tax incentives that exempt large data centers from sales and use taxes.
- The facility will use a closed-loop water system and operate without requiring new power generation, with DTE Energy serving the campus using existing excess transmission capacity.
Key facts
- 1. The data center will be built on 250 acres in Saline Township, Washtenaw County, with construction expected to begin in early 2026.
- 2. The facility will feature over 1 gigawatt of computing capacity, equivalent to the power output of a nuclear reactor.
- 3. The project is expected to create more than 2,500 union construction jobs and more than 450 permanent on-site positions.
