Stopped or cancelled
North Mankato Northport data center idea (Oppidan)
An environmental study looked at a possible data center campus of up to 4 million square feet on about 679 acres near North Mankato. Developer Oppidan pulled out in 2025 before applying. The city had signed a secret deal (NDA) with Oppidan in 2023.
Where things stand: Oppidan dropped out in 2025 before filing any application.
🕒 Latest update (Aug 5, 2025): MCEA sued the city over the environmental review.
What we know
- 📍 WhereNorthport Industrial Park area off Lookout Drive (about 679 acres, outside city limits), North Mankato, Nicollet County
- 🏢 CompanyOppidan
- 🤐 Secret deal (NDA)Yes. The city signed a secret deal (NDA) with Oppidan in July 2023, according to records.
What happened so far
- July 2023City signed a confidentiality agreement (NDA) with Oppidan.
- 2025Oppidan ended its involvement; the city said no application was ever filed. MCEA later dropped its lawsuit.
- Aug 5, 2025MCEA sued the city over the environmental review.
Local votes and rules
⏸️ Pause on new data centers
North Mankato held a packed hearing on a pause for large data centers and put off the vote to fix the wording. The newer draft covers data centers over 150,000 square feet or using over 50,000 gallons of water a day.
Aug 3, 2026
🛰️ See it from above
An aerial photo of the area.
We only know the town, so this shows the town center, not the exact site. Photos: USGS The National Map.
Where this comes from
- Data center plans stalled in North Mankato after developer backs out · Mankato Free Press · Nov 17, 2025
- Legal updates on MCEA's data center cases · Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy · May 15, 2026
See something wrong? Tell us and we'll fix it.