Wisconsin
QTS plans to propose multibillion-dollar data center campus in Dane County
DANE COUNTY, Wis. — QTS Data Centers said Thursday it has plans to build a multibillion-dollar data center campus in Dane County.
QTS said it plans to submit a zoning application to the DeForest Village Board in November. If the application is approved, QTS said the data center campus would create thousands of construction jobs as well as hundreds of full-time positions. QTS also noted the center would “generate millions of dollars in tax revenue” and increase renewable energy.
Recently, multiple data center proposals throughout the state have been met with opposition from neighborhoods and community members, as well as environmental groups.
QTS noted that it prioritizes energy and sustainability and promised, if approved, it would pay for all of the project energy infrastructure. It said existing customers would not be impacted by the cost.
QTS said it would preserve 40 acres of wetland habitat, noting an effort to “support wildlife and community recreation.”
Additionally, QTS pledged to meet LEED standards, host EV charging stations and pursue Energy Star certification.
QTS also said it would do the following in relation to its proposed data center:
“Enable new renewable energy resources across Wisconsin and lower costs for customers. QTS has announced an agreement in principle to enable renewable energy resources across Wisconsin, lowering the cost for Alliant Energy’s planned renewable facilities. This proposed agreement will be facilitated by the sale of Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) from approximately 750 megawatts of new renewable energy sources, which will help meet the growing energy needs of Wisconsin and support sustainable growth across the state, all while providing long-term benefits for Alliant Energy customers…
“Leverage QTS’s industry-leading, water-free cooling technology that does not consume water for cooling and will not impact water supply in Dane County or the Yahara Watershed. QTS water-free cooling technology saved nearly 1.5 billion gallons of water in 2024 across other sites to efficiently cool customer environments.”
In addition to its environmental impacts, QTS also promised to support the local community it wants to join.
QTS said it would make “an initial $50 million community commitment” within the county, with direct investments going to DeForest and Vienna.
QTS said that $50 million would “support local initiatives that strengthen education, workforce development, housing and other critical needs across Dane County.”
QTS also promised to fund scholarships and develop workforce partnerships with Madison Area Technical College. It would also plan to establish a research partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
QTS said that if it does come to Dane County, it would want to work with Wisconsin Technology Council, specifically “contributing toward the Wisconsin Frontier Technology Platform — an initiative designed to accelerate the state’s tech ecosystem.”
QTS said it would also support local nonprofits and first responders.
“For more than two decades, we’ve built lasting partnerships with the communities where we live, work and raise our families. We’re proud of these relationships guided by our core values at heart: to love each other, serve communities and connect the world,” Tag Greason and David Robey, co-CEOs of QTS, said in a statement. “Together, we’ll continue to listen, support and grow with the people of Wisconsin as trusted neighbors in a shared future. As digital infrastructure becomes essential to every industry — and a pillar of our national security — we’re excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Dane County community.”
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde reflects on early March Madness exit
Wisconsin guard Andrew Rohde said the Badgers ‘thought we could do so many things’ in the NCAA Tournament before it ended abrupty with an upset loss.
Wisconsin men’s basketball has added a sharpshooting wing via the transfer portal.
Miami (Ohio) transfer Eian Elmer has signed with the Badgers, the team announced April 18. The 6-foot-7 wing will join UW with one year of eligibility remaining.
Elmer averaged a career-high 12.7 points and 5.9 rebounds while shooting 49.8% from the field and 42.9% from 3-point range in 2025-26. His production helped the RedHawks go 32-2 and earn an at-large NCAA Tournament bid.
“We are really excited to add another excellent addition to our spring signees,” UW coach Greg Gard said in a release. “Eian brings a wealth of experience and scoring punch as a 6-7 wing. … A terrific shooter, his skillset and production fit excellently into our plan as we build out next year’s team. Throughout our evaluation process, our staff loved his size, power and skill and truly believe he will thrive in our system.”
Elmer is Wisconsin’s third transfer portal addition since the end of the 2025-26 season, joining former George Washington guard Trey Autry and former Hofstra forward Victory Onuetu. UW also added Australian guard Owen Foxwell.
The additions of Autry, Onuetu and now Elmer leave Gard’s staff with three more roster spots to fill ahead of the 2026-27 season.
The Badgers are looking to replace much of their production from a 2025-26 team that went 24-11. Nolan Winter is expected to be the team’s only returning starter after John Blackwell and Aleksas Bieliauskas entered the transfer portal and Nick Boyd and Andrew Rohde exhausted their eligibility.
MILWAUKEE – Friday’s severe storms have passed. And with that, the threat of any severe weather has also passed for the immediate future as no storms or rain are expected for several days.
However, plenty of damage remains across southeastern Wisconsin as of Saturday morning, in addition to the ongoing flooding threat.
Several area rivers are at flood stage, and there are multiple river flood warnings in effect.
FOX6 Weekend WakeUp on Saturday begins at 6 a.m.
On the scene in the morning
What we know:
Farmstead damage in Franklin
FOX6’s Hayley Spitler is in Franklin on Saturday morning, April 18, getting a daylight look at the damage from last night’s storms.
Storm damage in Caledonia
Friday’s storms left quite the mark across southern and southeastern Wisconsin, including at L and L Farms and Greenhouse in Caledonia.
FOX6 Weather Extras
Local perspective:
Meanwhile, FOX6Now.com offers a variety of extremely useful weather tools to help you navigate the stormy season. They include the following:
FOX6 Storm Center app
FOX LOCAL Mobile app
FOX Weather app
Maps and radar
We have a host of maps and radars on the FOX6 Weather page that are updating regularly — to provide you the most accurate assessment of the weather. From a county-by-county view to the Midwest regional radar and a national view — it’s all there.
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School and business closings
When the weather gets a little dicey, schools and businesses may shut down. Monitor the latest list of closings, cancellations, and delays reported in southeast Wisconsin.
FOX6 Weather Experts in social media
The Source: Information in this post was compiled by the FOX6 Weather Experts.
How Aleksas Bieliauskas has grown in first season with Wisconsin Badgers
Wisconsin coach Greg Gard has high praise for Aleksas Bieliauskas about a month into the Lithuania native’s freshman season.
MADISON – One of Wisconsin men’s basketball’s departing transfers is headed to an SEC program with some connections to the Badgers.
Ex-UW forward Aleksas Bieliauskas has committed to South Carolina, he announced on April 17.
Bieliauskas left the Badgers after appearing in all 35 games as a freshman and making 28 starts. He averaged 4.9 points and 4.4 points in 20.2 minutes, and highlights of his freshman year included his five 3-pointers in UW’s upset over eventual national champion Michigan.
He’ll join a program with plenty of Wisconsin ties. South Carolina head coach Lamont Paris was an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 2010-17 on Bo Ryan and Greg Gard’s staffs. South Carolina assistant coach Tanner Bronson and director of video services Roman DiPasquale also are UW alumni.
Bieliauskas is the second of UW’s four departing transfers to commit to a new school. Reserve forward Jack Robison committed to North Dakota State on April 15. Starting guard John Blackwell and reserve forward Riccardo Greppi have not announced their next schools yet.
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