Ypsilanti Township officials plan to vote Tuesday<\/a> on a resolution opposing construction of the artificial-intelligence-focused supercomputing facility<\/a> in the community. The\u00a0 township also is expected to hire a lawyer to negotiate a potential move to a different site.\u00a0<\/p>\n State and federal officials have trumpeted the center, which is a partnership with the Los Alamos National Laboratory that U-M says will \u201csupport important research in science, energy and national security\u201d and create 200 high-paying jobs.\u00a0<\/p>\n But Ypsilanti Township officials say they haven\u2019t been adequately consulted. The project\u2019s footprint has grown fivefold to 100 acres<\/a> since it was announced in December.<\/p>\n U-M is \u201cnot to be trusted\u201d and does \u201cnot do what is best for (the) community, the people or the environment,\u201d Ypsilanti Township Supervisor Brenda Stumbo wrote in a June 26 email to township, state and federal officials obtained by Bridge Michigan through the Freedom of Information Act.<\/p>\n \u201cThey do what is best for them and their money grabbing purchase of land should scare the hell out of all elected officials in the State,\u201d Stumbo continued, noting that the university neither will pay taxes on the property nor need to seek local approvals for building and zoning.\u00a0<\/p>\n She did not respond Monday to a request for comment.<\/p>\n The proposal comes amid a national backlash <\/a>against the data centers and similar projects, which are needed to power AI and data storage but consume enormous amounts of energy and water.<\/p>\n While parts of the project are classified, U-M and federal officials say it would be good for the state when it opens by 2030. Wages could average $200,000 per year and bring in other science-related facilities to the area.<\/p>\n \u201cThe focus is entirely on advancing knowledge and serving the public good,\u201d Chris Kolb, U-M\u2019s vice president for government relations, told Bridge.<\/p>\n The project will aid in \u201cexpanding scientific infrastructure, creating educational and workforce opportunities and strengthening the state\u2019s role in national innovation,\u201d Kolb said, adding it will help research \u201csome of the world\u2019s toughest challenges\u201d including clean energy, public health and national security.\u00a0<\/p>\n US Rep. Debbie Dingell told Bridge she supports the venture \u2014 which would join a network of 17 \u201cvery important\u201d Department of Energy labs \u2014\u00a0but residents need to hear more.<\/p>\n \u201cThey (U-M) need to be meeting with the community, and they have not done that,\u201d said Dingell, D-Ann Arbor, adding that the university hasn\u2019t been \u201ctransparent.\u201d<\/p>\n Kolb countered that U-M has engaged Ypsilanti Township leaders and will address community concerns.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not a commercial data center, where companies store internet or consumer data, but a public research facility operated by two public institutions,\u201d he said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Among other things, U-M has discussed with local officials their hopes to relocate the project to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) property, which is located on the former Willow Run bomber plant<\/a> property later used as a General Motors factory.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cAs we explained to them, we are still at the early stages of our evaluation of this site,\u201d Kolb said of the 120 acres it has planned for the computing center.\u00a0<\/p>\n However, at the township\u2019s request, Kolb said, \u201cU-M has re-engaged with ACM to evaluate the viability of their site for this facility. We will be keeping the township informed.\u201d<\/p>\n Unlike commercial data centers that create few jobs and drain the environment, state Sen. Jeff Irwin said the supercomputer project would be a boon to the local economy.<\/p>\n \u201cData centers don\u2019t have ancillaries and spin offs,\u201d said Irwin, D-Ann Arbor. \u201cData centers aren\u2019t drawing private sector employers who want to glean innovation from the research that they\u2019re doing at the data center.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cData centers are just warehousing and moving bits and bytes on behalf of Meta or Amazon Web Services or Google.\u201d<\/p>\n Irwin points to U-M\u2019s online fact sheet<\/a> that addresses several concerns.<\/p>\n The facility will not draw from or discharge into the Huron River, U-M says. It adds that all cooling water will be purchased from local municipal utilities and sanitary discharge will also be handled through the municipal system.<\/p>\n The buildings are \u201cdesigned to operate cleanly and quietly, with all-electric infrastructure and minimal emissions,\u201d U-M said.<\/p>\n Irwin, like Dingell, said U-M needs to communicate details on its project so that the public can see the difference from a data center and weigh the proposal on specifics.<\/p>\n Kolb said that at least one meeting is planned.<\/p>\n \u201cWith a project of this size, being a good neighbor matters,\u201d he said. \u201cU-M is committed to ongoing dialogue with township officials and the broader community. We will continue to share information, answer questions, and provide opportunities for input throughout planning and construction.\u201d<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Business Watch<\/p>\n Covering the intersection of business and policy, and informing Michigan employers and workers on the long road back from coronavirus.<\/p>\n Thanks to our Business Watch sponsors.<\/p>\n Support Bridge’s nonprofit civic journalism.\u00a0Donate today<\/a>.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/field.jpg\")
The U-M computing center is planned for Textile Road in Ypsilanti Township, across from the Ford Rawsonville factory. U-M purchased a portion of the land from Norfolk Southern Railroad. (Paula Gardner\/Bridge Michigan)<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/10221-textile-UM-data-center-image.jpg\")
The location of the portion of U-M property is next to South Hydro Park, and close to the Huron River. (Courtesy image)<\/p>\n
![\"Creative](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/cc-by-nd-4.0.png\"\/)
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