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Wisconsin Rapids Faces Data Center Proposal Amid Russian Developer Concerns
A former paper mill on a 210‑acre plot could soon pulse with the humming servers of an artificial‑intelligence data center, but Wisconsin Rapids residents are bracing for a debate that blends technology, infrastructure and national‑origin worries.
On August 28, the city’s planning commission announced a public hearing for September 16, at which it will recommend a conditional‑use permit for the proposed data center. The developer behind the plan is 42‑year‑old Anton Voronkin, a Russian‑born businessman who has taken over the project from its original proponent, Ruslan Zinurov. Local opposition centers on Voronkin’s Russian ties, in addition to the usual environmental and infrastructure concerns that accompany large data‑center developments.
Across the United States, data‑center developers routinely face questions about water consumption, electricity costs, grid reliability, air quality and noise. In Wisconsin Rapids, those worries echo in town‑hall meetings, but a new layer of unease has surfaced. Mary Olson, a resident who opposes the project, says the Russian connection is a “sticking point” for many. Marissa Johnson, a leader of a local anti‑data‑center group, notes that while environmental issues are front‑and‑center, the developers’ past business practices and national‑origin background also fuel skepticism.
The proposal’s roots trace back to a December 16 email from Zinurov to city planner Kyle Kearns, in which he expressed interest in acquiring the former paper‑mill site. By February, Zinurov had met with Kearns and Mayor Matt Zacher to discuss land acquisition and securing electricity and natural gas. In April, the planning commission scheduled a hearing on Zinurov’s conditional‑use application. Zinurov is identified as a representative of California‑based Performance Computing Holdings. A 2020 interview with the Kyiv Post described him as born in Russia, married to a Ukrainian, and living in the United States for more than 15 years. His LinkedIn profile lists a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin‑Green Bay and a master’s from the University of California, Berkeley. He founded Consensus Technology Group, which operates data centers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Missouri, and has previously partnered with Chinese firm Bitmain to convert a former paper mill in Washington state into a cryptocurrency‑mining facility.
Voronkin stepped into the public eye after Zinurov stepped back. The city’s planner began communicating with Voronkin in early May, and Voronkin and former New York City Mayor Eric Adams—who was indicted on federal conspiracy charges that were dismissed in April 2025—planned a visit to Wisconsin Rapids. Voronkin’s LinkedIn profile shows bachelor’s and master’s degrees earned in St Petersburg, Russia, and a decade of commercial‑development work in Russia before joining the $500 billion Neom mega‑project in Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch reported in December 2024 that Neom workers suffered abuse, and a Wall Street Journal investigation that month documented serious misconduct on the site.
Local attorney Mike Schmidt opposes the project, citing Voronkin’s Neom involvement and allegations of corruption against PNK Group’s owner, Andrey Sharkov. Two federal lawsuits have named Sharkov: a fraud case in Pennsylvania that was dismissed and a racketeering‑and‑corrupt‑organization suit in Utah that remains pending. Schmidt argues that the developers’ Russian ties and past business conduct raise red flags.
Mayor Zacher has stated that the city remains neutral. He notes that roughly 15 data‑center developers and an equal number of manufacturers have explored the former mill site, but most did not move forward, largely because they doubted the availability of sufficient electricity. The city is waiting for Voronkin’s group to provide more detailed plans before it can act on the conditional‑use application, and the planning commission’s hearing is scheduled for September 16.
The debate in Wisconsin Rapids reflects broader national concerns about data‑center expansion, especially when developers have foreign ties. PNK Group, the New York‑based developer behind Voronkin’s proposal, withdrew its brand from Russia in 2024, a move that has not fully assuaged local worries. Voronkin’s group has held four webinars in August to address community questions, but residents remain divided.
As of now, the city’s planning commission will review the proposal on September 16 and recommend a decision to the city council. No approval or denial has been issued, and the outcome will hinge on the commission’s assessment of the project’s environmental impact, infrastructure requirements and the developers’ background.
On August 28, the city’s planning commission announced a public hearing for September 16, at which it will recommend a conditional‑use permit for the proposed data center. The developer behind the plan is 42‑year‑old Anton Voronkin, a Russian‑born businessman who has taken over the project from its original proponent, Ruslan Zinurov. Local opposition centers on Voronkin’s Russian ties, in addition to the usual environmental and infrastructure concerns that accompany large data‑center developments.
Across the United States, data‑center developers routinely face questions about water consumption, electricity costs, grid reliability, air quality and noise. In Wisconsin Rapids, those worries echo in town‑hall meetings, but a new layer of unease has surfaced. Mary Olson, a resident who opposes the project, says the Russian connection is a “sticking point” for many. Marissa Johnson, a leader of a local anti‑data‑center group, notes that while environmental issues are front‑and‑center, the developers’ past business practices and national‑origin background also fuel skepticism.
The proposal’s roots trace back to a December 16 email from Zinurov to city planner Kyle Kearns, in which he expressed interest in acquiring the former paper‑mill site. By February, Zinurov had met with Kearns and Mayor Matt Zacher to discuss land acquisition and securing electricity and natural gas. In April, the planning commission scheduled a hearing on Zinurov’s conditional‑use application. Zinurov is identified as a representative of California‑based Performance Computing Holdings. A 2020 interview with the Kyiv Post described him as born in Russia, married to a Ukrainian, and living in the United States for more than 15 years. His LinkedIn profile lists a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Wisconsin‑Green Bay and a master’s from the University of California, Berkeley. He founded Consensus Technology Group, which operates data centers in North Dakota, South Dakota, Pennsylvania and Missouri, and has previously partnered with Chinese firm Bitmain to convert a former paper mill in Washington state into a cryptocurrency‑mining facility.
Voronkin stepped into the public eye after Zinurov stepped back. The city’s planner began communicating with Voronkin in early May, and Voronkin and former New York City Mayor Eric Adams—who was indicted on federal conspiracy charges that were dismissed in April 2025—planned a visit to Wisconsin Rapids. Voronkin’s LinkedIn profile shows bachelor’s and master’s degrees earned in St Petersburg, Russia, and a decade of commercial‑development work in Russia before joining the $500 billion Neom mega‑project in Saudi Arabia. Human Rights Watch reported in December 2024 that Neom workers suffered abuse, and a Wall Street Journal investigation that month documented serious misconduct on the site.
Local attorney Mike Schmidt opposes the project, citing Voronkin’s Neom involvement and allegations of corruption against PNK Group’s owner, Andrey Sharkov. Two federal lawsuits have named Sharkov: a fraud case in Pennsylvania that was dismissed and a racketeering‑and‑corrupt‑organization suit in Utah that remains pending. Schmidt argues that the developers’ Russian ties and past business conduct raise red flags.
Mayor Zacher has stated that the city remains neutral. He notes that roughly 15 data‑center developers and an equal number of manufacturers have explored the former mill site, but most did not move forward, largely because they doubted the availability of sufficient electricity. The city is waiting for Voronkin’s group to provide more detailed plans before it can act on the conditional‑use application, and the planning commission’s hearing is scheduled for September 16.
The debate in Wisconsin Rapids reflects broader national concerns about data‑center expansion, especially when developers have foreign ties. PNK Group, the New York‑based developer behind Voronkin’s proposal, withdrew its brand from Russia in 2024, a move that has not fully assuaged local worries. Voronkin’s group has held four webinars in August to address community questions, but residents remain divided.
As of now, the city’s planning commission will review the proposal on September 16 and recommend a decision to the city council. No approval or denial has been issued, and the outcome will hinge on the commission’s assessment of the project’s environmental impact, infrastructure requirements and the developers’ background.
