In 2025, Balloonist LLC purchased 320 acres of agricultural land in Menomonie, Wisconsin with the intent to build a data center. When it became public, the proposed data center prompted intense community backlash. Among other concerns, residents worried that the data center would destroy the “rural character” of the region, a concept that is often evoked in public fora.
Center for Water Policy Undergraduate Science Communications Intern Sydney Peterson took time away from the Center this past summer to work with Dr. Thomas Pearson exploring what “rural character” means to Menomonie-area residents. Her work was supported by the LAKES Research Experience for Undergraduates at UW-Stout Polytechnic. Under mentor Dr. Pearson, Sydney and two other undergraduate students researched the complex thoughts, experiences, and opinions of community members affected by and involved in data center development in Menomonie. Their research involved 27 semi-structured interviews, participant observation of data center related events, and an archival review of Menomonie government materials.
Ultimately, Sydney’s final project found that “rural character” has many meanings—an aesthetic, quality of life, economic system, or place identity—and residents think data centers threaten these aspects of their rural life. Congrats to Sydney on her research accomplishments in this program!