JANESVILLE, Wis. — Voters in Janesville will get a say in the future of the redevelopment of the former General Motors site on the city’s southeast side, including whether to allow for a data center.
The Janesville City Council unanimously approved to send a proposed ordinance “referring approval of proposed development projects or entrance into development agreements exceeding $450 million in project costs, transfer of land, conveyance, or encumbrance of the GM/JATCO site to the electorate”.
The referendum will appear on the November 2026 ballot.Â
Janesville City Manager Kevin Lahner warned during the council meeting on February 9 that the ordinance is likely illegal and unenforceable. “There are a variety of concerns about the ordinance’s construction, in particular the constitutionality concerns are a major flaw to the ordinance as it was written.”
In a city memo presented during the council meeting, Lahner also pointed out that the ordinance “would significantly hinder the City’s ability to market and redevelop the approximately 250-acre site…. [since the] site already presents substantial challenges due to its size, former heavy industrial use, and the associated environmental investigation and remediation requirements.”
Council Vice President Larry Squire disagreed. “Putting this referendum on the ballot in November will give all citizens of Janesville the opportunity to participate in meaningful discussion and conversation on a decision that will shape this community for decades”.
At issue is consideration of a proposed data center by Viridian Partners of Colorado for the former General Motors/Janesville Automotive Transport Company (GM/JATCO) along General Motors Drive and Kellogg Avenue. General Motors ceased operations at the plant in 2008, and the buildings were demolished in 2019. The City of Janesville took possession of the property in 2025.
Viridian proposed redeveloping the 250-acre site into an 800 MW, 11-building “digital campus” representing a total investment of $8 billion dollars.
In presenting the overview of the project, City Manager Lahner reiterated that the city is currently in the 120-day period to negotiate the purchase and sale agreement with Viridian Partners. The construction phase of the project is estimated to generate $2 billion in direct economic benefits to the state, providing $870 million in wages and benefits.
The total economic impact is projected at $3.7 billion, supporting 21,000 jobs and an estimated $1.4 billion in payroll.
Once completed, the data center project would also provide an estimated $12 million dollars annually across all taxing jurisdictions, and generate $4.2 million directly for the City of Janesville annually.
During the public comment portion of the meeting, residents had mixed reactions to the data center proposal, and pushed for the ordinance to be put to a vote.
Eileen Newcomer, deputy director of the League of Women Voters of Wisconsin and Janesville resident, said, “we need people to be able to trust. We need people who are participating to have a say in their government. And even in this memo, where it talked about how the city attorney would have strongly recommended against its adoption, that’s exactly why this process exists.”
Kevin Algiers, a graduate of Blackhawk Technical College, moved to Janesville from Mount Pleasant, and was not happy with how that city handled the partnership with Foxconn. “We left because the city was $24 million dollars in the hole from the commitments that they made. Please do not make a repeat of that. Don’t get caught up with the dollar signs in your eyes.”
Adam Schultz, managing broker at Coldwell Banker Commercial McGuire Mears and Associates, knows the past history of the former GM site and the challenges of finding a new investor for it. “The realities of the site are that the economics don’t work for anybody, except the project that’s been put forth. I don’t share the optimism of mixed use, housing, things like that coming for a two-foot reinforced rebar concrete pad, with 60 feet of contaminated dirt underneath of it.”
“In my interactions with [Viridian Partners], I truly believe that they have our best interests in mind here,” Schultz continues. “They’re taking the time. They’re proposing a three-year [plan]. There’s so much to unpack with this site. There’s no financial incentive for me other than I want to see Janesville grow. I want to see us have a better community.”
Content creator Katie Myers said, “I still don’t know whether the data center is the right for Janesville, and I think that matters. We need to take a step back and consider whether our reaction to this specific project could have unintended consequences for how our city grows in the future. I don’t stand here with answers. I stand here asking for common sense, good faith in our city officials, and a commitment to having this conversation in a way that reflects the community we all want Janesville to be.”
City manager Lahner said there is a high likelihood that the city will face legal challenges over the ordinance.
