A $2 billion proposal, then silence: How a Driftless Area data center deal fell apart
A proposal for a $2 billion, 500-acre data center in Wisconsin's rural Grant County has fallen apart. Out-of-state developers, who had been in talks with county economic development director Ron Brisbois, ceased communication as opposition to the project mounted. The project, which aimed to leverage the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line near Cassville, is now considered dead.
Ron Brisbois, the economic development director for rural Grant County, Wisconsin, cultivated a potential deal for a $2 billion, 500-acre data center, a project significantly larger than any previous development in the county. The developers, an unnamed two-man team from out-of-state, were attracted by the Cardinal-Hickory Creek transmission line in the Driftless Area, specifically near Cassville, offering the substantial power needed for AI data centers.
Brisbois engaged with the developers for months, discussing potential sites and meeting with state and local officials, including Grant County Board chair Bob Keeney. The project promised significant economic benefits, including construction contracts, new permanent jobs, and increased tax revenue for the economically challenged county.
However, as public opposition began to mount, the developers abruptly ceased all communication with Brisbois. The project, which was already highly controversial, is now considered "all but dead." Brisbois, citing confidentiality, has not publicly identified the developers.