Hermantown approves controversial Google Data Center during late night meeting

Hermantown’s City Council unanimously approved the major local agreements for Google’s proposed 1.7-million-square-foot data center after a contentious late-night meeting that followed four hours of public comment. The development would cover more than 200 acres in a rural residential area near Duluth. Approved measures include a development agreement, special-use permit and a $210 million decommissioning plan to protect the city if construction stops or the facility is abandoned. The votes followed protests that had twice disrupted the council’s schedule. The city limited in-person attendance to 85 and offered virtual viewing and advance written comments, drawing criticism from residents who said the arrangements excluded the public.

Supporters cited Google’s changes to the project and expected local benefits: the company dropped a request for up to $80 million in property-tax breaks, agreed to monitor nearby private wells, reduced the plan from four buildings to three, and capped their height at 33 feet. The facility is expected to generate about $3 million in annual property taxes, though each building would still exceed six football fields in size. Opponents argued the concessions did not address their concerns about community rights and impacts. Three lawsuits challenging environmental review, zoning changes and land ownership remain unresolved, and state regulators must still approve the electricity agreement. The center is expected to require 500 megawatts - roughly the combined power needs of homes in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth and Rochester.