City planners and citizens of Wisconsin Rapids, a community of about 19,000 on the Wisconsin River, are scrutinizing a proposal to convert a former paper‑mill site into a large artificial‑intelligence data center. The developers seek a conditional‑use permit for a 210‑acre facility that could consume significant water and electricity, raise noise levels, and increase air emissions.
Environmental and utility worries
At recent public meetings, residents asked straightforward questions: How much water will the center draw? Will local electricity rates climb? What safeguards will prevent air‑quality and noise problems? Those concerns echo similar debates in other Wisconsin towns where data‑center projects have been considered.
Developer background draws extra attention
Adding a layer of unease, the project’s original proposer, Ruslan Zinurov, and the current public face, Anton Voronkin, were both born and educated in Russia. Local activist Mary Olson noted that “people bring it up very often,” and community leader Marissa Johnson said the Russian ties are “a sticking point for people.” While some neighbors hesitate to voice the sentiment publicly for fear of appearing xenophobic, the issue has become a recurring theme in the hearings.
City officials’ response
City planner Kyle Kearns responded to Zinurov’s initial email in December, expressing enthusiasm for the interest. By February, Zinurov had met with Kearns and Mayor Matt Zacher to discuss securing electricity and natural gas for the site. The planning commission scheduled a public hearing in April, and the city has since requested additional details from Voronkin’s team before moving forward.
Developer affiliations under scrutiny
Voronkin, now chief development officer for New York‑based PNK Group, previously worked on the $500 billion Neom megaproject in Saudi Arabia, a venture that has faced serious human‑rights allegations. He also leads a team that reportedly withdrew its brand from Russia in 2024. Local attorney Mike Schmidt warned that the developers’ past business practices, including alleged corruption involving PNK owner Andrey Sharkov, raise red flags beyond nationality.
Next steps for the permit
Mayor Zacher indicated that roughly 30 developers have explored the former mill site, but most withdrew because of electricity‑availability concerns. He emphasized that the city will evaluate proposals on merit, not on the developers’ origins, and hopes to avoid a prolonged review process. “We don’t want to go months,” Zacher said, urging the developers to provide a more detailed plan promptly.
Community involvement continues
Voronkin’s group has organized a series of webinars in August to build local support and answer questions. Meanwhile, opponents continue to attend city meetings, urging officials to “just do the right damn thing” and block the project until their concerns are fully addressed.
The debate in Wisconsin Rapids highlights the broader tension between attracting high‑tech investment and protecting community resources, a balance that many small cities across the nation must navigate.
Original reporting: Wisconsin Watch — read the source article.
