Delhi Township ends LEAP membership after surprise data center announcement

Overview

Updated Oct 31

Delhi Township ended its membership in the Lansing Economic Area Partnership on Oct. 28, a day after the group announced it would explore a $10 billion data center on 423 acres in the township. Township Manager Tracy Miller said officials and residents learned of the plan when the media did.

The Board of Trustees was scheduled to vote Friday, Oct. 30, on a resolution opposing any data center. A 12-month moratorium runs through April 2027. LEAP president Bob Trezise called the announcement "a process, not a project," and Lighthouse cofounder Gary Dorris said his team would drop the plan if residents reject it.

Why it matters

A $10 billion data center could transform a rural township's tax base, but residents say they were kept in the dark.

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Key Indicators

$10B

Potential data center investment

Reported size of the proposed project at the Holt Economic Opportunity Park.

700 MW

Proposed data center capacity

Capacity the campus could reach under Lighthouse Sustainability's concept.

423 acres

Proposed site size

The Holt Economic Opportunity Park, west of US-127 and south of Holt Road. The land is zoned for agriculture.

$6.5M

State grant for site readiness

LEAP secured the state funding to prepare the property for industrial redevelopment.

12 months

Data center moratorium

Township moratorium on data center proposals runs through April 2027.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

People Involved

Tracy Miller

Delhi Charter Township Manager

Ended the township's LEAP membership effective immediately

Tom Dorris

Cofounder and CEO, Lighthouse Sustainability

Leading the proposed data center project; says the team will walk away if residents oppose it

Organizations Involved

Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP)

Regional economic development organization

Says it will drop the project if residents oppose it; lost Delhi Township's membership

Regional economic development group for Clinton, Eaton and Ingham counties in Michigan.

Lighthouse Sustainability

Private development company

Partnering with LEAP on a proposed 700-megawatt data center

Developer selected by LEAP for the proposed Delhi Township data center.

Delhi Charter Township

Local government (charter township)

Ended LEAP membership; scheduled to vote Oct. 30 on opposing data centers

The Ingham County, Michigan township that includes Holt, with a moratorium on data center proposals.

Timeline

April 2026 October 2026

6 events Latest: October 30th, 2026 · 1 week ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

October 2026
Trustees scheduled to vote on opposing data centers
Latest Vote

Board of Trustees special meeting to consider a resolution voicing official opposition to data center development.
October 30th, 2026 • 5:30 PM
Delhi Township ends LEAP membership
Statement

Township Manager Tracy Miller announces the membership ends immediately, a day after the announcement.
October 28th, 2026
LEAP defends engagement-first rollout
Statement

After Delhi Township cut ties, LEAP said it told the community first to start a conversation and that "if there isn't community support, then the prospective project goes away."
October 28th, 2026
State Rep. Kara Hope criticizes surprise announcement
Statement

Hope, a Holt Democrat, said the rollout "foreshadows the potential for a lack of transparency" and pointed to the township's data center moratorium.
October 28th, 2026
LEAP and Lighthouse announce data center exploration
Announcement

Groups reveal plans for a $10 billion data center on 423 acres off College Road.
October 27th, 2026
April 2026
Township adopts data center moratorium
Policy

A 12-month moratorium on data center proposals takes effect, scheduled to end April 2027.
April 2026

Scenarios

Delhi Township trustees formally oppose the data center

Deadline passed (Oct 30, 2026)

Discussed by: WKAR; the township posted the resolution ahead of the Friday meeting

The board scheduled a special meeting for Friday, Oct. 30, at 5:30 p.m. to consider a resolution stating official opposition to any data center and calling on LEAP and Lighthouse to end their efforts. The resolution cites Dorris's statement that the developers would drop plans if the community opposed them. Approval would put the board on record against the project and strengthen the township's hand when the moratorium ends.

Lighthouse and LEAP withdraw the Delhi Township proposal

Possible Resolves by Apr 30, 2027

Discussed by: WKAR; Dorris said at the public meeting they would drop plans if the community opposed it

If the Friday resolution passes and the six-month engagement campaign fails to move public opinion, LEAP and Lighthouse could walk away. Dorris said at the public meeting the developers would drop the plans if the community opposed the project. A withdrawal would end the dispute before the moratorium expires in April 2027.

Delhi Township data center wins approval after moratorium ends

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2028

Discussed by: WKAR; LEAP and Lighthouse plan a six-month engagement campaign to build support

If the engagement campaign wins over residents, the township could let the moratorium lapse or lift it, then negotiate a development agreement for the College Road site. The pitch includes a $20 million community fund, free rooftop solar for county residents and 90 acres of preserved nature. Buildout of the 700-megawatt center would take years.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2023

Prince William County, Virginia data center fight (2023)

After approving data centers for years in one of the world's largest data center markets, Prince William County's board blocked a large project near Manassas National Battlefield Park in 2023. Residents had organized over noise, well water and the loss of rural land.

Then

The county redirected data center growth away from the battlefield and tightened its zoning rules.

Now

The reversal became a national reference point for data center opposition and pushed developers toward earlier community outreach.

Why this matters now

Shows a locality that once welcomed data centers can reverse course when residents mobilize, which is what Delhi Township is now attempting.

2026

Michigan's Data Center Divide (2026)

WKAR's ongoing series 'Michigan's Data Center Divide' documents how data center proposals are splitting communities across the state over land use, power demand and tax incentives.

Then

The series reports local siting fights as they unfold, including the Delhi Township dispute.

Now

Data center siting has become a recurring issue in Michigan local politics.

Why this matters now

Places the Delhi Township fight within a statewide pattern of communities weighing data center dollars against local concerns.

Sources

(7)