Microsoft has recently announced that it will purchase about 3,200 acres on the southern edge of Cheyenne, Wyoming, greatly expanding its operations in the region. This announcement led many locals to fear how the creation of more data centers in the region could negatively affect their lives, prompting some pushback on social media.
According to Cowboy State Daily, this purchase will essentially triple Microsoft’s footprint in the state capital. At the moment, Microsoft has 11 operational data centers in the region and is currently building three more.
Reports indicate that the tech company will acquire two parcels near Wapiti Trail: a smaller 200-acre site in Bison Business Park and a nearby 3,000-acre area. Microsoft reportedly built its first data centers in Cheyenne in 2012 and has recently been ramping up these efforts, as AI has greatly increased demand for computational power.
Wyoming Residents React to Microsoft Purchasing 3,200-Acre Land to Create Data Centers
Wyoming residents took to r/Wyoming to complain about Microsoft’s plans, expressing fears that the project could negatively impact their lives. “RIP quality of life. This is what happens when you think your grandparents’ politics are good enough. Enjoy being exploited,” one user said. Another seemingly irritated person complained, “Good old Cheyenne. Always the sellout.”
Some locals noted that “while the rest of the nation is pausing these developments, Cheyenne is rolling out the red carpet over the heads of its citizens,” essentially lamenting the expansion of data centers in the area. Others appeared concerned about water usage at these facilities, saying, “But God forbid we get a nuclear power plant. This thing is gonna eat up more electricity than the people living here and [expletive] the water.”
One Wyoming resident had strong words for Microsoft: “Make them build it in their own backyards in Seattle. Leave Wyoming out of this.” Another person then responded why that was unlikely, explaining that “Seattle has zero space, expensive land, and high taxes. Of course, Microsoft wants to move to a state with low taxes, less water, and cheap land.”
As demand for more data centers grows in the United States, residents in several states have complained about their construction near their communities, criticizing local politics and the major companies backing these projects, and it seems the same will happen in Wyoming.
