SALINE TOWNSHIP — A proposed hyperscale data center tied to OpenAI has reignited controversy in Washtenaw County after township officials acknowledged a documentation mistake that added to public confusion over how the project was approved.
The development — part of a broader national push to build massive computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence — is planned for farmland in Saline Township, south of Ann Arbor. While supporters frame it as a once-in-a-generation economic investment, critics argue the approval process lacked transparency and could saddle residents with higher electric costs.
What Is Being Proposed
The project calls for a multi-building, hyperscale data center campus occupying hundreds of acres. Developments of this size typically consume enormous amounts of electricity, drawing power loads comparable to those of small cities.
For Michigan, the Saline proposal is among the largest data center investments ever discussed — placing it at the center of a growing debate over how aggressively the state should court AI infrastructure.
The “Mistake” That Sparked New Outrage
According to township officials, meeting minutes were drafted incorrectly, creating the impression that the township board approved a settlement related to the data center outside of public view…