RACINE COUNTY, Wisc. — President Biden is making his fourth trip to Wisconsin this year, with a visit to Racine today.
He is traveling to the same location as the Foxconn investment that the Trump administration visited six years ago.
During his visit, the president is expected to announce a $3.3 billion investment by Microsoft to construct a new artificial intelligence data center in Mount Pleasant.
The data center was approved back in 2023.
The data center is projected to generate 2,300 union construction jobs and 2,000 permanent positions over time, according to a press release from the White House.
The data center will be built on the same land as the $10 billion investment from Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Foxconn six years ago.
Microsoft, according to the press release, will also offer training opportunities for thousands more Wisconsinites.
TMJ4 spoke with Brad Smith, the president of Microsoft, who said the company will need to tap into the skilled labor pool in southeast Wisconsin.
"So part of what we're doing here today is doing an announcement that everyone will see, with the president of the United States," Smith said. "But in many ways, equally important, is the meeting that we're going to have after that -- to go to a training center where local labor unions are training people to fill these jobs. We'll desperately need more skilled labor, electricians and plumbers, especially in the coming years."
TMJ4's Sydni Eure stopped by a diner in Racine to talk with a few people about Biden's agenda for his visit. She spent a good amount of time talking with them about the current state of the economy.
Many shared how the last few years had impacted them as retirees and their families. When it came to which presidential candidate would create and sustain economic success, viewpoints were split.
"Being retired I can't afford a lot of this stuff because it's so inflated. I do not like Biden at all, not at all," said Veronica Thomas.
"A lot of people are blaming him for what's going on but it actually started before him, he just walked into a big mess," added James Williams. "I mean you can't blame somebody for trying to fix it if it was already broke when he was in office."
"I worry about my grandkids more than anything," Dan Spaulding added. "I think they're going to be left with a big debt and we need to get that under control."
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