According to DCD, data center park developer Cloverleaf Infrastructure is targeting a 200-acre development in Frenchtown Township, Michigan on the former River Raisin Golf Course property. The company recently held a community meeting where numerous residents spoke out against the proposals, and a Change.org petition against the project has already gathered over 550 signatures. Site plans suggest four data center buildings could be developed on township-owned property adjacent to I-75, using a closed-loop cooling system. This comes just after Cloverleaf withdrew plans for another 750-acre Michigan development called Project Ironwood in October due to local pushback. The golf course closed around 2019 and was previously slated for a ProMedica hospital before the township acquired the 275-acre site earlier this year.
Community backlash builds
Here’s the thing about data centers – everyone wants the digital services they enable, but nobody wants them in their backyard. The resistance in Frenchtown Township isn’t surprising given what happened with Project Ironwood just last month. Over 550 signatures on a petition might not sound like much, but in a township setting, that represents significant organized opposition. And when you consider that Cloverleaf just raised $300 million last year to fuel this expansion, you’ve got a classic clash between corporate ambition and community concerns.
The location strategy
Cloverleaf isn’t picking these spots randomly. The former golf course sits right by I-75, which provides crucial connectivity infrastructure. It’s also in Monroe County, which has become something of a hotspot for data center development in Michigan. But here’s the question – why keep pushing in areas where you’re facing such strong resistance? The company is also developing sites in Georgia and has a large plot in Port Washington, Wisconsin that Vantage is reportedly interested in. You’d think they’d focus on locations with less pushback.
Industrial implications
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What happens next?
Basically, we’re watching a pattern repeat itself. Cloverleaf tries to build in Michigan, faces community opposition, withdraws plans, then immediately surfaces with another proposal nearby. It feels like they’re playing whack-a-mole with local resistance. The township now owns the land after ProMedica sold the 275-acre parcel, which adds another layer of complexity. Will they approve a data center that their own residents clearly don’t want? The upcoming township decisions will tell us whether $300 million in funding can overcome 550+ angry signatures.
