The mystery is solved, and it's exactly who everyone suspected. Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) has stepped out of the shadows to confirm it's the company behind a controversial $1 billion data center project in Michigan, ending weeks of speculation that had the small township buzzing.
When Your New Neighbor Needs A Lot of Power
The Satya Nadella-led tech giant revealed that its cloud infrastructure team has been eyeing a 237-acre plot near Interstate 96 in Lowell Charter Township, a community of roughly 6,500 residents located about 20 miles southeast of Grand Rapids. The project had been moving forward through Illinois-based developer Franklin Partners, which had cryptically described its client as "a U.S.-based national firm."
In a letter released Wednesday, Microsoft acknowledged the growing community concerns and said it was time to be transparent. The company emphasized the importance of open communication about its plans moving forward.
"We asked the seller to pause the rezone process so that we could spend time with the community early this year and share more about our potential long-term plans before we proceed," Microsoft said.
The revelation came after residents voiced serious concerns about the rapid rezoning of the land and, more importantly, the massive energy demands a data center would place on local infrastructure. The pushback was strong enough that planners postponed a public hearing during a December commission meeting, and local officials temporarily paused the entire project.
Township officials had estimated the project could bring between $500 million and $1 billion in investment over three to five years. The planning commission is scheduled to reconvene on January 12 to continue discussions.
Microsoft's Data Center Building Spree
This Michigan project isn't happening in isolation. Microsoft has been on an absolute tear when it comes to expanding its cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure globally.
Just in November 2025, the company announced a $10 billion investment to build an AI data center in Portugal. That was quickly followed by plans for a massive AI "super factory" in Atlanta designed to power OpenAI and Elon Musk's xAI. Then in December 2025, Microsoft committed billions more to expand its cloud and AI footprint across Canada.
The pattern is clear: Microsoft is racing to build out the physical infrastructure needed to support the exploding demand for AI computing power. But as the Michigan situation shows, finding locations for these energy-hungry facilities isn't always straightforward, especially when they land in smaller communities that weren't expecting a tech giant as a neighbor.
Price Action: Microsoft stock has climbed 13.92% over the past year. On Wednesday, shares rose 1.07% to close at $433.64.