New details out on massive data center planned in Pittsylvania County

Hyperscale data center company Stack Infrastructure is moving forward with plans to purchase nearly 3,000 acres at the Berry Hill Megasite in Pittsylvania County, Virginia, for approximately $720 million. The company plans a $73 billion investment over the next 30 years, expecting to create around 2,050 full-time jobs, in addition to 2,000-4,000 construction jobs, with an average starting wage of over $80,000. Pittsylvania County Economic Development Director Matt Rowe highlighted that the facility will be a digital campus heavily focused on AI training and learning, rather than just a traditional cloud data center. Stack Infrastructure, known for building and leasing facilities or owning servers, will not receive local tax incentives and will pay a specialized county tax rate for data center equipment, aligning with the personal property tax schedule. The project is projected to generate $2.5 billion to $3.3 billion in tax revenue over 20 years, split between Danville and Pittsylvania County, with annual revenue potentially exceeding $100 million once operational. Stack will cover all electrical infrastructure costs through agreements with Appalachian Power, ensuring no impact on local power bills. The county also carved out the megasite from Danville Utility Service territory to use Appalachian Power. The facility will primarily use dry cooling, requiring only 10,000-20,000 gallons of water daily from the City of Eden's ample Dan River supply, posing no strain on local water resources. Closing on the property is expected later this summer, with a construction start date yet to be determined.