RACINE COUNTY — In a matter of hours, Microsoft could get the final thumbs up to build a brand new data site in southeast Wisconsin.
Monday night, the Mount Pleasant Village Board unanimously voted to approve Microsoft's expansion plan in Racine County. It's a more than $1B investment.
Tuesday night, the Racine County Board of Supervisors will vote.
If Microsoft gets the green light from the board, it further expands the narrative that southeast Wisconsin could be the tech hub of the Midwest. More importantly, we could see more jobs, more revenue locally and economic impact stretching further than just Racine County.
"It says a lot about the work that's been done at this site, and I think too, it says a lot about the broader economic assets that are here that a company like Microsoft finds attractive," Jim Paetsch said.
Paetsch is the executive director of the Milwaukee 7, a multi-county regional partnership that focuses on spurring economic development.
Microsoft's data center is a more than $1B economic development that could be secured with a vote Tuesday night by the supervisors.
"This isn't just a data center, it's a partnership that will shape the future of Mount Pleasant and Wisconsin, and will leave a lasting legacy for generations to come," Mount Pleasant Village President, David DeGroot, said.
The approval from both Mount Pleasant and Racine County would expand the land Microsoft already purchased earlier this year by more than 600 acres.
"In addition to all the things that Microsoft is going to be doing, and we'll see all of that play out over a number of years, we do believe this is going to bring a lot of ancillary development," Paetsch said.
Paetsch said this expansion would bring an employment base and additional service providers for the 1,000+ acre data center.
In addition, he said there will be a spin-off effect that could benefit companies in Mount Pleasant, Racine County and the region. Not to mention, it's land that's all ready to go.
"When we can present the site along with all the other great things about Wisconsin, it's a winning proposition," Paetsch added.
TMJ4 is still working to find out just how many jobs this expansion could bring to Wisconsin. Microsoft has yet to release those numbers.
Racine County Executive Jonathan Delagrave was unable to interview with us on Tuesday. In a statement, he said:
“Along with our partners at the Village of Mount Pleasant and State of Wisconsin, Racine County was proud to present a tremendous opportunity for a world-class company to invest in our region and support the long-term growth of both that organization and our community. The team at Microsoft has demonstrated its commitment to the people of Racine County, and this next step in their development plans is thrilling to consider.”
The Racine County Board of Supervisors is set to vote on this at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
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