Protesters Say Questions Remain as Leaders Celebrate The Barn Project

While OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and business leaders gathered Monday, June 1, to celebrate construction of The Barn, a group of opponents demonstrated nearby, arguing that residents still have unanswered questions about the massive data center project in Saline Township that has become the national epicenter for the controversial facilities.

Among them were Michael Patino and Sarah Brabbs, who said concerns about transparency, environmental impacts, energy use and tax incentives remain unresolved despite years of public debate.

Patino, a small business owner, said he attended the event because he believed dissenting viewpoints were largely absent from the program.

“I was highly concerned that we didn’t have an alternative opinion basically being expressed about the creation of the data centers that they’re putting here in Michigan,” he said.

Patino said he remains skeptical of the project’s economic benefits, particularly claims regarding jobs and tax revenue.

“Once those jobs finish up and the construction is done, it really doesn’t take a lot of people to run a data center of any sort,” he said. “It’s not a people-oriented job. It is an AI job.”

He also questioned whether tax incentives granted to attract data center development provide sufficient returns for taxpayers.

Patino described opposition to large-scale data centers as a rare issue that cuts across political lines.

“I would say this is one of the few rallying cries where people of both political parties can come together,” he said.

Brabbs, who lives a few miles from the site, said her primary concerns center on water use, wastewater management and long-term environmental impacts.

“That’s a big concern to me because they’re using fresh water for cooling computers,” she said. “They’re going to put that in our watershed as it leaks and through wastewater.”

Brabbs said residents have repeatedly asked for additional information about water use and environmental safeguards.

“I would ask really specific questions related to water plans, chemicals, and accountability,” she said. “I would really insist on independent audits and testing for environmental reasons.”

She also challenged the notion that public opposition emerged late in the approval process.

“At no time was there not pushback and feedback and questions,” Brabbs said.

Brabbs said she attempted to attend Monday’s event but was turned away because she did not have an invitation.

“I ran right into Related Digital and also police and security and other people that informed me I didn’t have the special invitation QR code, so I had to leave,” she said.

Both protesters said they would welcome the opportunity to directly question project leaders, including Altman and Whitmer.

“I would really like to meet with you, Sam Altman, Gretchen Whitmer,” Brabbs said. “We would like to sit down with you.”

Patino urged residents to stay engaged as the project moves forward.

“Watch what’s happening,” he said. “You have to do the work. Look it up. Find out what’s happening and stay on top of it.”

Construction of The Barn, a large-scale AI data center campus in Saline Township, is already underway. Supporters have described the project as a major economic development investment that will bring construction jobs, tax revenue and advanced technology infrastructure to Michigan, while opponents continue to raise concerns about its long-term impacts on nearby communities.

Featured photo: Sarah Brabbs speaks with reporters while demonstrating outside a celebration of The Barn AI data center project in Saline Township on June 1. Brabbs was among a group of opponents who gathered near the invitation-only event to voice concerns about the project’s environmental impacts, energy demands and public transparency. Fellow activist Michael Patino stands at left. Photo by Priscilla Creswell