OpenAI, Oracle, and Vantage Data Centers announced plans to develop a new hyperscale data center campus in Port Washington, Wisconsin, marking a significant step in OpenAI’s ongoing Stargate expansion. The campus, named Lighthouse, will feature four state-of-the-art data centers providing nearly a gigawatt of AI compute capacity, with construction scheduled to begin shortly and completion expected by 2028.
The Lighthouse campus represents a major investment in both AI infrastructure and regional economic development. The construction phase is expected to generate more than 4,000 skilled jobs, predominantly union positions. Upon completion, Vantage and Oracle anticipate creating over 1,000 long-term jobs, with thousands more indirect positions across local services and suppliers. The project underscores the partners’ commitment to sustainable, high-performance AI infrastructure while driving economic growth in the Midwest.
Sustainability is central to Lighthouse’s design. Vantage is delivering 100% matched zero-emission energy for the campus, integrating solar, wind, and battery storage. Seventy percent of this capacity will directly support Lighthouse, while 30% will be available to Wisconsin consumers. The campus will employ a closed-loop liquid cooling system that dramatically reduces water use and drives energy efficiency, complemented by local water restoration projects to achieve net positive water impact. Vantage is also enhancing biodiversity by planting over 2,000 native trees, preserving wetlands, and implementing native landscaping across 500 of the 672 acres dedicated to development. The campus is pursuing LEED certification, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainable building practices.
The Lighthouse project is designed to deliver long-term economic benefits. Analysts estimate it will contribute roughly $2.7 billion to the regional gross domestic product. Additionally, Vantage is investing at least $175 million to upgrade local infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems, power infrastructure, water mains, and sewer lines. The investment will include a new water tower and upgraded electrical systems to serve both the campus and surrounding communities. Vantage is underwriting these electricity investments with a dedicated rate from WEC Energy Group’s We Energies utility, ensuring local residents are protected from rate increases.
“This project will expand AI infrastructure while creating high-paying jobs, advancing clean energy, and boosting the local economy without increasing costs for consumers,” said Peter Hoeschele, OpenAI vice president of industrial compute. OpenAI’s collaboration with Oracle and Vantage is part of a broader strategy to expand Stargate’s global AI capacity, which is projected to reach up to 4.5 gigawatts across multiple campuses.
Oracle Cloud Infrastructure will provide high-performance, secure, and scalable AI solutions for Lighthouse. Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president at Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, said the partnership will “fuel a new era of innovation and reinforce American leadership in AI, delivering cost-effective and reliable infrastructure at unprecedented scale.”
Vantage Data Centers emphasized the Midwest’s strategic value in supporting sustainable AI growth. “The upper Midwest is emerging as a critical region for next-generation digital infrastructure,” said Dana Adams, president of North America at Vantage. “Our investment in Wisconsin reflects the strong local foundation for innovation, skilled workforce availability, and energy resources that align with our commitment to sustainable, high-density AI deployment.”
Local leaders welcomed the announcement. Port Washington Mayor Ted Neitzke IV called the project “a once-in-a-generation investment,” highlighting the creation of thousands of union-led construction and operational roles and the broader economic ripple effects for housing, local businesses, and public services. Rebecca Gries, executive director of Milwaukee 7, said the investment “will strengthen southeastern Wisconsin’s position as a hub for innovation and technology, with long-term benefits for talent development, business growth, and regional prosperity.”
WEC Energy Group is providing nearly two gigawatts of new energy to support Lighthouse, 30% of which will serve local homes, farms, and businesses. Scott Lauber, WEC Energy Group president and CEO, emphasized that this approach ensures growth without raising electricity rates for existing customers while supporting reliability and sustainability.
The Lighthouse campus complements OpenAI and Vantage’s other major developments, including the Frontier campus in Shackelford County, Texas, representing part of more than $40 billion in critical digital infrastructure investments. Vantage’s North American operations are backed by major investors, including DigitalBridge Group and Silver Lake, reinforcing its capacity to deliver next-generation data center solutions for AI workloads at scale.
