STOP THE HERMANTOWN DATA CENTER

SHDC Response to City of Hermantown’s Special City Council Meeting’s adjournment on October 26, 2026

HERMANTOWN, MN – Hermantown residents, directly-affected homeowners, community members, concerned citizens, trade representatives, and others were locked outside in the cold until City Hall  was opened at approximately 5:30 p.m.

While residents, including the disabled and elderly, were made to wait outside in the cold and told that seats could not be saved, representatives of Google, Mortensen Development, Minnesota Power/ALLETE and others were found warmly sitting in the front row of Council chambers upon entry.

Hundreds of residents and community members waited in line for over an hour to sign up to speak on several agenda items related to the proposed Google hyper-scale data center before City Officials declared that the signup sheet was pulled at approximately 6:25 p.m. At that time, members of the public unanimously began asking for their constitutionally protected right to speak.

SHDC is disappointed in local media’s accounts of the evening, referring initially to the public as “detractors” and providing long quotes to supporters of the project, while retaining a relatively silent platform for those opposed.

At no time did the Meeting become violent. The members of the public opposed to the City of Hermantown peacefully asserted their first amendment right to free speech and to peaceably protest.

The only instance of violence was when an intoxicated individual wearing a green YesMN! shirt began pushing and shoving his way to the door of City Hall prior to the meeting.

SHDC reminds the public and the City of Hermantown that the applicant for the Special Use Permit (SUP) at issue does not own 80 acres of the land required for the development and does not have written authorization by the land owners to request the permit as required by Hermantown City Code.

The issue of land ownership of the 80 acres is currently in litigation in federal court due to material misrepresentation to the land owners that the intended use of the land was for solar power or battery storage and energy generation, not consumption.

“[Harmony Group, LLC] agreeing that Savion and Foghorn can transfer the option agreements or assign the option agreements to Harmony.”

“Harmony never had any intention to build a solar facility. That’s true. We obtained the option contracts for the purposes of this data center facility.”  

Official Court Transcript from August 17, 2026, Court Hearing, St. Louis County Court File Number 69DU-CV-26-2040.

SHDC demands that the City of Hermantown comply with Minnesota Open Meeting Laws that require all meetings must be open to the public. Minn. Stat. §13D.01, Subd. 1.

The City of Hermantown has already acknowledged that City Hall does not safely accommodate the number of members of the public to attend the meeting.

The City of Hermantown’s adjournment of the October 26, 2026, Special City Council Meeting REQUIRES that it provide new notice and adequate space for the public to attend and its failure to do so violates the Minnesota Open Meeting Law.

SHDC will continue to fight for transparency, truth, and community protection.