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Google Data Center in Hermantown, Minnesota Approved After Delays and Concessions
Key points
- Hermantown City Council approved Google's data center plan.
- Google reduced buildings from four to three and capped height at 33 feet.
- Google withdrew an $80 million tax break request; project now generates $3M/year in taxes.
- The project still faces lawsuits and an inquiry into its electricity supply.
Approval Granted for Hermantown Data Center
Google's proposed data center in Hermantown, Minnesota, received unanimous approval from the city council on Friday, October 30. This decision follows multiple postponed meetings and significant public opposition regarding the development.
Project Scope and Location
The data center development is planned to cover over 200 acres in a rural residential area near Duluth. It will include three data center buildings, totaling approximately 1.66 million square feet.
Concessions Made by Google
To secure approval, Google made several modifications to its original proposal. The company reduced the number of buildings from four to three, agreed to cap building heights at 33 feet, and committed to monitoring nearby private wells. Additionally, Google withdrew its request for up to $80 million in property tax breaks. The revised plan is projected to generate about $3 million in annual property tax for the city, and a $210 million decommissioning agreement is in place.
Council's Rationale and Ongoing Challenges
Council member John Geisler clarified that the decision focused on local land use application rather than broader debates about artificial intelligence or large technology companies. Despite the council's approval, the project continues to face legal challenges and a separate inquiry concerning its electricity supply.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Google received approval for a data center in Hermantown, Minnesota, after the city council unanimously voted in favor of the project. The decision followed public opposition and required Google to reduce the number of buildings, cap their height, monitor private wells, and withdraw a request for property tax breaks, now generating $3 million annually in property tax.