Some communities and politicians oppose data centers, vital yet sometimes controversial facilities that underpin our digital lives and the AI explosion.

Why it matters: More than 5,000 of these key tech facilities dot the American landscape, often requiring massive amounts of energy and land while receiving big government incentives.

Zoom in: Michigan wants in on the data center boom, too.

• State lawmakers are debating a significant tax-break proposal to attract more data centers, Bridge Michigan reports.
• A Senate fiscal analysis projected that the proposed incentives could reduce state and local tax revenue by about $90 million through 2065.

Driving the news: Microsoft, a major facility operator, is considering two large sites in west Michigan for potential data centers, Crain's Grand Rapids reported this week.

• The company bought a 316-acre site in Kent County in August and recently acquired 272 acres about 12 miles away in Allegan County.

Catch up quick: You rely on a data center each time you join a Zoom meeting, save photos to the cloud or stream videos online.

• Data center builders frequently promise new jobs and other benefits; however, there is growing bipartisan opposition regarding issues like aesthetics, noise, housing costs and national security.

Yes, but: Data centers are driving a significant increase in electricity demand, particularly due to the rapid growth of new AI tools.

• Environmental advocates worry that data centers' energy consumption will compromise the state's climate goals, the Free Press reports.

Friction point: Offering tax breaks to tech giants such as Microsoft has faced opposition, with critics arguing that data centers don't employ enough workers to justify the tax incentives and their energy demands.

The other side: "Data is going to be a huge basically resource and fueling part of the 21st century economy. So I want those investments to happen in Michigan, and that's why I'm in favor of also lowering taxes to spur investments. What a concept," GOP state Rep. Bill Schuette, R-Midland, told the Freep.

The bottom line: Data centers are likely here to stay, but their impact and where they belong remain controversial.

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The Spartans and Wolverines clash this weekend in Ann Arbor as both schools try to find their footing in the expanded Big Ten.

Why it matters: Annual bragging rights are on the line!

• Rivalry aside, MSU and U of M have identical records (4-3 overall, 2-2 Big Ten) and could use a win to separate themselves from the glut of mediocre teams in the conference.

Between the lines: MSU is trending up behind sophomore quarterback Aidan Chiles and an unexpected win last week against Iowa.

• U of M, however, has played three QBs this year and none have played well. Coach Sherrone Moore was short with the press this week in declining to publicly name a starting QB before the game.

State of play: Kickoff is at 7:30pm on Saturday at Michigan Stadium.

• The Big Ten Network is broadcasting.
• The rivalry has been split in the last 10 contests, with each school winning five times. U of M won 49-0 last year.

Meanwhile, the NFC North-leading Lions (5-1) host the lowly Tennessee Titans (1-5) at 1pm on Sunday at Ford Field.

• The game's on Fox.
• The team is expected to be without wide receiver Jameson Williams, who is facing a two-game suspension for violating the league's rules on performance-enhancing substances.

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🥪 Eater Detroit collected the best options for vegan and vegetarian food in and around Detroit, including Street Beet, Pie-Sci pizza and Spacecat V-stro.  

🏭 Two coal-based plants in Michigan contribute to more than 20,000 asthma cases per year, according to a new report by Industrious Labs. 

• One of the state's most pollutive industrial facilities is the DTE-owned EES Coke facility in River Rouge near Detroit. (Planet Detroit)

🥩 Acclaimed restaurant Lady of the House has returned, this time in Core City, with an updated menu of Irish, French and Midwest influences. (Metro Times)

A city authority terminated a nearly 20-year-old development deal for a prominent east riverfront site, Crain's and the Free Press report.  

The big picture: The more than 40-acre, city-owned Uniroyal site along the Detroit River was the subject of a vision led by Jerome Bettis, a Detroit-born former NFL running back. 

The latest: The Detroit Brownfield Redevelopment Authority voted unanimously on Wednesday to end the development agreement that was planned with 2,000 residences and a hotel, according to the Free Press. 

• The vote came after Bettis' team missed an April deadline from a later amendment to the 2005 deal. 
• Bettis' team gets $900,000 to compensate for the work done on the site, according to Crain's. 

Flashback: Last year, a new pathway extending the riverwalk opened along the edge of the Uniroyal site, connecting the rest of the riverwalk to Belle Isle.

• The Uniroyal name comes because the old highly polluted property was home to a Uniroyal tire factory.

👋 Joe here.

• I stopped by Mannino's Bakery in Sterling Heights last week to check out their pepperoni rolls after attending an election town hall nearby.

Between the lines: The Italian snack was on my mind because I'd just heard local sports radio hosts Mike Valenti and Jim Costa talk about their availability in Metro Detroit on their "Cash the Ticket" podcast.

Dig in: Mannino's rolls ($3.49 each) were very light on the cheese, if they had any at all. That was fine by me — the spiciness of the pepperoni came through strongly.

📬 Where's the best pepperoni roll in the area?

• Hit reply and let us know!