The Vantage Data Center Lighthouse Campus
What’s Happening in Port Washington
A major data center complex is being planned on the north side of Port Washington. It will cover hundreds of acres of annexed farmland, transforming open countryside into an industrial-scale operation that runs 24 hours a day, powered by immense amounts of electricity and cooled by millions of gallons of water drawn from Lake Michigan through our municipal system.
Most residents were never told the scope of this project. Discussions began quietly, under pre-annexation and development agreements between the City of Port Washington, Cloverleaf Infrastructure, Red Granite DevCo, and later Vantage Data Centers — one of the largest hyperscale data center operators in North America.
Timeline Overview
- January 2025: Cloverleaf Infrastructure presented the data center concept to the Common Council, joined by representatives from Von Briesen & Roper (the city’s legal consultants), Milwaukee 7 Regional Partnership, and HPR Strategies. Questions were raised about lake-water usage, noise levels, lighting, and property rights for residents reluctant to sell.
January 21, 2025: The city entered closed session to negotiate a pre-annexation agreement with Red Granite DevCo LLC, a shell developer linked to the project.
April 7, 2025: The Council created a new zoning classification — I-3 Technology Campus District — specifically designed to accommodate large-scale data center use. This action effectively cleared the way for the complex before any environmental review or public referendum.
July 1, 2025: The City met in closed session to negotiate a development agreement with Vantage Data Centers LLC, confirming that the global company is the intended end user of the site.
October 7, 2025: Hundreds of residents from Port Washington and surrounding communities showed up to the Port Washington City Council meeting to protest and make their voices heard. The council continued to press forward despite opposition
These steps have taken place with limited notice, minimal public hearings, and no published impact study on water, power, or emissions.
Why It Matters
Water: Lake Michigan is our lifeline. Large data centers can consume millions of gallons each day for cooling. Increased withdrawal could strain our municipal water treatment system and raise costs for residents.
Energy: Each facility demands staggering power — equivalent to tens of thousands of homes. That strain risks higher local energy rates, new transmission lines, and potential outages during peak demand.
Taxes and Accountability: Developers are seeking tax incentives and subsidies that divert future property-tax revenue away from schools and essential city services. Residents bear the risk while private companies profit.
Transparency: Residents have been left out of the process and opposition ignored. The project has advanced through closed sessions and confidential negotiations, with key documents still unavailable to the public.
What We Deserve
Port Washington residents aren’t against progress — we’re for responsible progress.
Before any construction begins, we deserve:
- Full environmental impact studies.
- Complete disclosure of tax agreements and developer incentives.
- Honest answers about water use, noise, traffic, and long-term costs.
- A voice in decisions that reshape our community and our Great Lakes.
Where It Stands Now
The city continues discussions with developers and state-level partners. Portions of the project area have already been annexed from the Town of Port Washington, and zoning is in place for construction once agreements are finalized.
This is the moment for residents to pay attention, ask questions, and demand transparency before commitments become irreversible.
Our Stand
We’re not against technology.
We’re against secrecy.
We’re against sacrificing clean water and community stability for private profit.
We’re standing together to Save Port Washington — to protect our lake, our land, and our right to shape the future of the place we call home.
