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Proposed North Loop data center sparks debate

The exterior of a printing facility
The Minnesota Star Tribune's Heritage printing facility in Minneapolis. A plan to turn the Star Tribune's former printing facility into a data center has some community members concerned for the environment, while others are excited about the potential economic benefits.
Jane Helmke | MPR News 2025

A proposed data center in the North Loop neighborhood of Minneapolis is sparking plenty of debate. A plan to turn the Minnesota Star Tribune's former printing facility into a data center has some community members concerned for the environment, while others are excited about the potential economic benefits.

MPR News host Cathy Wurzer spoke with data center researcher Yiyang Zeng about the impacts data centers have on both the environment and economy.

Listen to the full conversation by clicking the player above.