Legal battle over massive data center campus continues after last-minute appeal

The Prince William Digital Gateway, a proposed data center campus in Prince William County, Virginia, faces continued legal challenges as developer QTS has appealed a court ruling to the Supreme Court of Virginia. The project, intended to be the world's largest with 37 data centers spanning 2,000 acres, was initially approved by the Prince William County Board of Supervisors through a rezoning measure in December 2023. However, a circuit court judge ruled in August that the public notice for the rezoning approval was insufficient, a decision upheld by the Court of Appeals of Virginia in late March. The Board of Supervisors and co-developer Compass Datacenters chose not to appeal these rulings. However, QTS filed an appeal just before the deadline, much to the dismay of local residents and the Coalition to Protect Prince William County, led by executive director Elena Schlossberg. Schlossberg emphasized the emotional toll of the ongoing battle, stating the community's desire to move past this chapter. QTS, in its appeal, cited the economic benefits, such as tax revenue, and argued that ample public notification was provided given the extensive public comment during the 27-hour meeting. Schlossberg countered that economic benefits do not override the rule of law. The Supreme Court of Virginia will now decide whether to take up QTS's appeal, marking the next stage in this protracted legal dispute. QTS is also facing a separate lawsuit in the U.S. Eastern District of Virginia regarding land purchases for the project.