Neighbors, preservationists cheer defeat of data center project
The massive Digital Gateway data center project in Prince William County, Virginia, has been scrapped following a court ruling that overturned its 2023 approval. QTS Realty Trust and Blackstone Funds withdrew their appeal, marking a significant victory for local neighborhood groups that actively opposed the development. Opponents view this as a turning point in the fight against data centers, though they are already organizing against another proposal in the county.
The planned Digital Gateway data center project in Prince William County, Virginia, which was set to be the largest in the world, has been abandoned. Developer QTS Realty Trust and Blackstone Funds have withdrawn their appeal against a court ruling that had overturned the project's initial 2023 approval.
This outcome is being hailed as a major victory by local neighborhood groups, including the Coalition to Protect Prince William County and the Oak Valley Homeowners Association, who actively campaigned against the development. Elena Schlossberg of the Coalition emphasized the power of grassroots efforts in achieving this change.
Mac Haddow, president of the Oak Valley Homeowners Association, noted a shift in public perception, stating that data center operators can no longer assume unchallenged development. He suggested that communities are becoming more assertive in resisting such projects. Despite this win, opponents are already mobilizing against another proposed data center in Prince William County.