OpenAI, Oracle, and Vantage Data Centers are teaming up to build a massive data center campus outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin, marking one of the largest digital infrastructure projects in the Midwest. The facility, called Lighthouse, represents over $15 billion in investment and will anchor OpenAI’s growing Stargate network, which aims to add 4.5 gigawatts of AI capacity worldwide.
Located in Port Washington, Lighthouse will consist of four large-scale data centers capable of nearly one gigawatt of compute power when complete in 2028. The project promises to create over 4,000 union construction jobs and about 1,000 long-term positions once operational. Beyond the job growth, local leaders see the project as a catalyst for broader economic development across southeastern Wisconsin.
Vantage says Lighthouse will operate with a focus on sustainability and environmental stewardship. The site will run on 100 percent matched zero-emission energy, combining solar, wind, and battery storage projects built specifically for Wisconsin. Roughly 30 percent of that new energy will also be allocated for residential and commercial users across the state. The facility will use a closed-loop liquid cooling system that conserves water while improving energy efficiency and aims to be fully water-positive through local restoration projects.
The company also plans to pursue LEED certification and preserve local biodiversity by leaving about 170 acres undeveloped, planting over 2,000 native trees, and enhancing wetlands to achieve a biodiversity net gain. Vantage will invest at least $175 million into infrastructure upgrades for the surrounding community, including new water systems and expanded power capacity.
OpenAI vice president Peter Hoeschele said the Wisconsin expansion is “another major step toward building the infrastructure that will help ensure everyone can benefit from AI.” Oracle’s Mahesh Thiagarajan added that its growing partnership with Vantage will help deliver scalable, cost-effective AI infrastructure nationwide.
For Port Washington, the arrival of Lighthouse is being described as “once in a generation.” Local officials say it will fuel public services, increase GDP by an estimated $2.7 billion, and shield residents from potential energy price hikes thanks to how the project’s power infrastructure is funded.
The Wisconsin site joins Vantage’s Frontier campus in Texas, together representing over $40 billion in next-generation digital infrastructure investment. With backing from DigitalBridge and Silver Lake, Vantage says its goal is to meet the world’s accelerating AI computing needs while keeping sustainability at the forefront.
