U.S. data‑center construction news digest (Dec 30 – Jan 6)
Below are the latest U.S. data‑center construction and expansion news including the project developer, location and scale, known investment and timeline details, the current project status, and key notes.
| Developer / Project | Location & scale | Investment & timeline | Project status* | Notes & contractors |
| Prologis – Shelbyville data‑center campus | Shelbyville, Indiana – Lorm LLC and Alisha Clay (affiliated with Prologis) plan to annex 429 acres and combine them with previously annexed land for a 576‑acre data‑center campus east of SR 44/I‑74. The land would be rezoned from agricultural/residential to General Industrial to allow up to 13 buildings. | No end user has been secured. City documents note that the campus would use closed‑loop cooling and leverage existing electrical infrastructure (two Duke Energy transmission lines). The site is described as “ideal” by city staff; plan commission and city council meetings are scheduled this week. | In planning – annexation and rezoning are pending; no construction yet. | Prologis said the development would create jobs and it has 5.2 GW of power commitments from utilities across its pipeline. More than 2,100 residents have signed a petition opposing the project, citing water and community impacts. |
| Two unidentified developers – Foristell data‑center proposals | Foristell, Missouri (St. Charles & Warren counties) – the city is considering annexing more than 400 acres of pastures and woodlands along Interstate 70 to accommodate two potential data‑center developments. One site, north of I‑70, requires annexation into Foristell; the second is already inside city limits. | No formal applications have been filed; annexation is the first step. The board of aldermen will vote on expanding city boundaries. | In planning – discussions are at the annexation stage. | Local residents expressed concerns about electricity and water use and lack of transparency. Officials note that annexation must occur before any development proposals can be evaluated. |
| U.S. Army Corps of Engineers / BL Harbert – Huntsville data‑center build‑out | Huntsville, Alabama – conversion of administrative space into a data‑center and laboratory facility. Contract awarded by the Army Corps of Engineers to BL Harbert International. | Contract value is $171.5 million; work is expected to complete by April 21 2028. Funds come from FY 2024–2026 military construction and RDT&E budgets. | Under development – award indicates procurement and construction will proceed. | The project modernizes existing facilities for data operations and labs, expanding the Army’s computing infrastructure in Huntsville. |
| xAI – third data center (MACROHARDRR) | Memphis, Tennessee – Elon Musk’s xAI purchased a third building, dubbed “MACROHARDRR”, near its natural‑gas power plant in Memphis. The building will become the company’s third data‑center facility, following Colossus and Colossus 2. | No construction timeline or cost disclosed. Musk said the addition will bring xAI’s compute capacity to “almost 2 GW”. Conversion of the warehouse into a data center is expected to begin in 2026 (according to The Information via Reuters, not DCD). | In planning – xAI has only acquired the building; design and build‑out are pending. | The site will leverage xAI’s nearby natural‑gas power plant. xAI previously drew controversy for installing gas turbines without local approval. Musk notes the “Macrohard” name is a tongue‑in‑cheek play on Microsoft. |
| Project Tango – Palm Beach County AI data center | Loxahatchee, Florida – developer (identity shielded under state law) plans a 202‑acre AI data‑center campus. Originally approved zoning allowed development; the developer sought to add 64 acres, prompting public attention. | Community members collected more than 7,000 petition signatures opposing the project. A Dec 10 commission meeting drew over 50 residents citing concerns about noise, heavy water consumption and environmental impact. Commissioners delayed the decision, providing a temporary victory for opponents. | In planning – zoning expansion and site plan approvals are on hold amid opposition. | The project’s end user remains secret due to Florida law allowing anonymity. Residents worry about the scale of the AI campus and water use. |
| GridFree AI – South Dallas One ‘Power Foundry’ site | Hill County, Texas – GridFree AI announced South Dallas One, the first of three grid‑independent Power Foundry sites. The Hill County site is part of a South Dallas cluster offering nearly 5 GW of power; each site is designed to deliver >1.5 GW. | GridFree’s model relies on natural‑gas powered, grid‑independent infrastructure with on‑site chilled‑water cooling. The company claims it can deliver power within 24 months of lease signing. Newmark is advising the project; Goldman Sachs is co‑leading financing. | In planning – site marketing and financing are underway; construction timeline not announced. | GridFree positions the project as a way to meet AI demand without burdening the grid. Each site in the South Dallas cluster will supply resilient power and cooling. |
* Status categories: In planning indicates the project is at an early stage (land purchase, rezoning, or community consultation) with no construction start; Under development signals that contracts have been awarded or construction has begun.
Summary of Trends and Observations
- Power & cooling innovations: GridFree AI’s Power Foundry model uses natural‑gas‑powered, grid‑independent infrastructure and chilled‑water cooling to deliver >1.5 GW per site. This approach promises faster deployment (<24 months) and resilience against grid constraints.
- Mega‑campus planning vs. community resistance: Prologis’ 576‑acre Shelbyville proposal and the 202‑acre Project Tango in Florida illustrate the tension between large‑scale developments and local concerns over water use, noise and community impact. In both cases, petitions and public hearings are shaping outcomes.
- Continued government investment: The U.S. Army’s $171.5M contract to convert facilities into a data center in Huntsville shows federal agencies are investing in critical computing infrastructure.
- AI‑driven expansion: xAI’s acquisition of another Memphis building and claim of nearly 2 GW of compute capacity signals the escalating arms race for AI compute power. Developers continue to acquire buildings and land to support AI workloads, even before construction details are finalized.
- Growing pipeline across states: Proposals span the Midwest (Indiana), South (Texas, Florida) and Missouri, reflecting the geographic diversification of hyperscale projects. Many rely on rezoning farmland or woodlands, prompting debates over land use and environmental impact.