Eric Adams walked into Wisconsin Rapids on Saturday to pitch a controversial data center proposal, but the former New York City mayor quickly found himself pitching over a skeptical crowd. The project has already stirred debate over the city’s industrial future, its power infrastructure and what residents believe they are being asked to accept.
At a town hall held at the Wisconsin Rapids Public Library, Adams promoted the PNK Group-led project along the Wisconsin River and told attendees, “Like it or not folks, data centers are going to be here,” according to WTMJ. The response was immediate, with attendees shouting “Not in Rapids!” and “Put it in your backyard!”
The proposal would redevelop part of the former paper mill property with an estimated 1.2 million square feet of data-center construction, including the renovation of an existing building and four new facilities, according to Wausau Pilot & Review. Early plans also envisioned as many as 70 employees per shift, although ownership, operations and the final design have not been settled.
Wisconsin Rapids Has Not Approved The Project
The city has created a formal review process for data centers after growing interest in the former mill site. Under the city’s rules, a project must receive a conditional use permit, remain at least 400 feet from residential property, use closed-loop or recycled water systems for cooling and secure approvals from utility and regulatory agencies, according to the City of Wisconsin Rapids.
City officials also say Wisconsin Rapids has not entered into a legal or financial partnership with any private data-center company and has not signed a nondisclosure agreement with a project applicant. That transparency question has become a major fault line in Wisconsin’s data-center debate, especially as residents weigh promised jobs and tax revenue against possible impacts on water, noise, wildlife and the Wisconsin River.
A local group, South Wood County Neighbors for Responsible Development, has urged residents to oppose the proposal until more information and environmental review are available. Civic Media reported that the group has raised concerns about the project’s potential effects on the river, air quality, noise levels and surrounding communities.
Mayor Says The Data Center Debate Is Still In A Holding Pattern
Wisconsin Rapids Mayor Matt Zacher has said the city is neither automatically supporting nor rejecting the project, according to WSAW. The city is still reviewing the conditional use permit, and officials have indicated that no purchase or development decision should be expected before additional public discussion.
If the proposal advances, the Planning Commission would review it before sending a recommendation to the Common Council, which would make the final conditional-use decision. The city has also said public feedback could help shape permit conditions and a possible community-benefits agreement, meaning Saturday’s heckling was noisy, but it was not the final vote.
