Could data centers be in Benton Harbor’s future? Mayor Marcus Muhammad sees an opportunity.

Speaking at this week’s meeting of the Benton Harbor City Commission, Muhammad said he recently attended a conference with the African American Mayors Association and learned from its Virginia contingent that the facilities housing AI server farms are so numerous in their state that it’s earned the nickname “Data Center Alley.”

Muhammad said something similar could be of benefit to Benton Harbor.

“So I think that somehow, some way, the city of Benton Harbor somehow should be involved,” Muhammad said. “One of the major things is water consumption. We have a water filtration plant that has the capacity to pump 15 million gallons of water per day, and we’re only pumping one million. So we have to find a very creative way where we can utilize our water plant.”

Otherwise, Muhammad said, no more water plant. He said boosters of the centers he met with told him municipalities and industries that try to resist the AI boom could end up like past entities that resisted change, noting that Blockbuster once laughed a Netflix. Ultimately, Muhammad said it was Netflix that got the last laugh.

Muhammad added more information will be coming on that issue as he’s planning a presentation, also noting his State of the City address is planned for May 19 at 7 p.m. The location hasn’t yet been announced.