$16B Michigan AI Data Center Project to Create Thousands of Jobs, Boost Innovation
April 25, 2026
The project underscores a broader Blackstone‑led push into digital infrastructure and AI compute, with Oracle’s involvement highlighting a focus on expanding AI infrastructure capacity in the U.S.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer is praised for backing Michigan’s innovation economy, as construction gains momentum and the initiative moves forward.
The plan is set to create thousands of jobs, including more than 2,500 union construction roles, 450 onsite positions, and about 1,500 county-wide roles, while delivering substantial tax revenue and direct community benefits.
Local benefits include roughly $14 million for the fire department and community investments, plus a closed‑loop cooling system and the preservation of over 750 acres of open space, farmland, and wetlands.
The Barn data center campus consists of three single‑story facilities with over 1 gigawatt of total capacity, featuring LEED certification and a closed‑loop cooling system, with construction on schedule.
Saline Township’s Barn will host three data centers with more than a gigawatt of capacity as part of Oracle’s OpenAI partnership to expand AI compute capacity.
Related Digital and Blackstone‑affiliated funds have secured $16 billion in financing for the Saline Township Oracle data center campus, with Bank of America handling structuring and Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo advising.
The financing blends equity from Related Digital and Blackstone‑affiliated funds with long‑term fixed‑rate debt from funds managed by PIMCO, ensuring a stable funding structure.
The $16 billion financing signals strong demand for AI‑focused digital infrastructure in the Michigan project.
Michigan’s campus is planned to exceed 1 gigawatt of capacity, positioning it among the largest AI‑focused infrastructure projects in the United States.
Construction is underway and on schedule for delivery to Oracle, with closing conditioned on customary terms, indicating execution and customer concentration considerations tied to Oracle/OpenAI use.
The development aims to bolster U.S. AI infrastructure and serve as a hub for AI, machine learning, and next‑generation cloud computing as hyperscale data centers expand.
Summary based on 4 sources
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Sources

Yahoo Finance • Apr 24, 2026
Related Digital Announces Financing for $16 Billion Oracle Data Center Project in Saline Township, Michigan
Investing News Network (INN) • Apr 25, 2026
Related Digital Announces Financing for $16 Billion Oracle Data Center Project in Saline Township, Michigan
EconoTimes • Apr 25, 2026
$16B Michigan Data Center Project Boosts U.S. AI Infrastructure Expansion - EconoTimes