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.”

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 29, 2025, results for each game:

Ripple effects could be felt in other UW athletic programs

The 2025 Badger football season is one fans already want to forget − but the negative economic impact could be felt well beyond the final game on Nov. 29.

If the team’s poor performance continues, it could reduce the program’s profit by $20 million annually, according to a new report from the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy, housed at University of Wisconsin-Madison

The ripple effects can be felt in other university athletic programs subsidized by the football program, and could impact student applications to the university, alumni donations, and research output, according to the report − titled “The Economic Impact of Badger Football’s Declining Performance.”

Beyond the financial blow to the campus, the report estimates the city of Madison could could lose up to $160 million, and the state could lose up to $280 million “stemming from reduced attendance, game day spending, tourism and reputational value.”  

The UW Athletic Department disputes the findings of the report.  

“Wisconsin Athletics respects the work and research of our world-renowned academic partners, along with their passion for the sports that represent our institution,” a department statement said.

“Although we do not believe that this study portrays a complete and accurate representation of the economic factors around the football program, we all share a common interest in its successful future.

“We welcome the opportunity to collaborate with the Center for Research on the Wisconsin Economy on any future works on this topic,” according to the statement.

Badger football is profitable 

In 2023, the football team had revenue of $106. 7 million and expenses of $42.3 million, with the program earning more than $64 million, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s Equity in Athletics Data Analysis cited in the report.  

In 2024, Badger football had $107.4 million in revenue according to its NCAA membership filing, and had expenses of $49.6 million − posting a profit of $57.8 million. The Badgers men’s basketball program earned a $7.3 million profit that year.

If the winning percentage falls from nearly 80%, as it was during the 2017 to 2019 seasons, to 50%, that could mean “Badger Football’s annual profit could drop by about $20 million,” the report reads. 

The team this season so far has a 2-6 record with four games remaining in November.

Is it Luke Fickell’s fault? 

Short answer: not in the beginning.  

The report says the program’s profit didn’t decline during 2022 and 2023 despite the 14-12 regular season record. That was during Luke Fickell’s first two seasons as head coach.

“This is probably because there was a lot of excitement” about Fickell’s hiring, the report states.