Microsoft will quickly begin formal planning for a $1 billion data center in Mount Pleasant now that it has the last local signoffs on its purchase of a 315-acre parcel east of the Foxconn campus.

The Racine County Board on Tuesday approved a development agreement with Microsoft and a separate agreement with the Village of Mount Pleasant, 18-1, to clear the way for Microsoft's $50 million purchase of the 315-acre parcel. The Mount Pleasant Village Board approved the sale and a related development agreement earlier this month.

Microsoft will close the sale on or before July 31. It's unclear when construction would begin, but the company has already begun work on obtaining the permits and site plan approvals it will need.

Paul Englis, Microsoft's global director for community research and engagement, said the company started evaluating the site in November and laid some ground work as it worked on the purchase agreement.

"I will say there is a little bit of overlap, because we've actually started a little bit of design," he said. "And we've actually started conversations about planning and permitting and what's required. So our teams have already been having meetings just to try to get a sense of what is it that we need to do and when."

The Mount Pleasant data center would be part of a growing network of 200 centers in 34 countries that serve as a "backbone of what activates that ability to be in touch with technology 24-7."

Each data center consists of thousands of servers that support companies' cloud computing needs. The company's data center customers in southeastern Wisconsin include Fiserv, Rockwell Automation and Kohler Co.

More: Microsoft is planning a $1 billion data center on Foxconn site. Here's what we know about jobs, water use at data centers.

Englis said a typical Microsoft data center employs 300 to 400 people, although he did not put a number on how many people would work in Mount Pleasant.

"I can't get into a lot of specifics in terms of the numbers of jobs and resources that we'll use until we get to the final design, then we'll have a little bit better idea," he said.

If built, the data center would be the first major development in the industrial park since Foxconn began work in 2018 on what, at the time, was expected to be a $10 billion LCD manufacturing plant that would employ 13,000 people.

Foxconn has failed to deliver on those expectations — it currently employs about 1,000 people, and employment is expected to peak at just under 1,500 workers according to a revised contract for state economic development incentives.

In a statement, Foxconn said its presence has led to “a transformation of infrastructure that continues to support potential business cases for additional Foxconn production” in Mount Pleasant.

“The collaboration with Microsoft and local government demonstrates Foxconn’s partnership with others to further the goals and intentions of creating a science and technology hub,” the company said.

The development agreement calls for Microsoft to begin a first phase of construction no later than July 2026 and to begin the second phase by July 2033. The company would be reimbursed for up to 42% of its construction costs via tax rebates through the tax incremental financing district that covers the business park. Microsoft's annual rebate would be capped at $5 million, according to a fact sheet prepared by state and local economic development agencies.

Missy Hughes, secretary and CEO of the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. pledged to "make sure Microsft has everything it needs for success."

"Microsoft’s anticipated move to Mount Pleasant is a clear win for Wisconsin," she said. "The village and county have provided a path for Microsoft to join the roster of iconic global businesses that are already in our state."

The Microsoft site is east of the Foxconn campus between Braun Road and County KR. It also is near a We Energies electric substation, an important consideration for a facility that would require a large amount of electric power.

Proceeds from the sale will be paid to Foxconn to partially reimburse the company for the $60 million it provided to help acquire land for the business park. Foxconn has agreed to relinquish an option it had on the land Microsft will buy.

The land sale does not change Foxconn's obligation to pay property taxes or make-up payments based on the $1.4 billion value of the land it controls in the business park, village officials said.

Englis said the Mount Pleasant site easily met Microsoft's criteria for a data center location, including broadband access, a large ready to build site, an adequate supply of energy and a skilled workforce.

"All of that together makes for a really good data center site, and all of those boxes are checked in terms of this location," he said. "That's why we're here."

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Microsoft will pay $50 million for land adjacent to Foxconn's campus in Mount Pleasant