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Tract approved for 1,200-acre data center campus in Hanover
May 23, 2025
Tract, the trusted partner for planning responsible technology infrastructure, announced the acquisition of 1,200 acres in Hanover County, Va. At full build, Tractâs Hanover Technology Park will support up to 2.4 GW of power capacity with Tract targeting site energization in 2028.
âThe US economyâs demand for services provided from data centers continues to grow. We worked with the Commonwealth of Virginia and Hanover County to responsibly site this project in an area planned for light industrial uses to maximize community benefits and minimize impacts to neighbors,â said Grant van Rooyen, CEO of Tract. âThe public process made our application better, enabling a thoughtful investment that will bring tax revenue, hundreds of high-paying jobs for Hanover County and attract other technology businesses to the region.â
According to the Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Virginia hosts the largest data center market in the world with more than 35 percent of all known hyperscale data centers worldwide. Hanover is located around 25 miles north of Richmond.
âWe have demonstrated that the right tax and regulatory policies combined with investments into business ready sites attract dynamic businesses that help power Virginiaâs economy,â explained Va. Gov. Glenn Youngkin. âOur administration and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership have been engaged with Tract for some time and are excited to welcome their commitment and investment in the Commonwealth to complement our efforts to attract responsible data center development.â
Virginiaâs success in hosting a premiere data center hub has also provided lessons on how to align the interests of developers, host communities, neighbors and the environment.
âTract took a proactive and cooperative approach throughout the rezoning process,â said John Budesky, Hanover County Administrator. âThey showed interest in being a good neighbor by engaging with the community and adapting their plans to address residentsâ concerns. We value Tractâs investment in Hanover County and look forward to partnering with them on this project.â Zoning and entitlements for the site were approved unanimously by both the Hanover County Planning Commission and Board of Supervisors in May 2024.
The property sits just east of Interstate 95 and Tractâs plan calls for multiple data center campuses on the site, with approximately 30 buildings and more than 800 employees. The project is expected to generate an estimated $1.78 billion in tax revenue for Hanover over the next 20 years.
Hanover officials worked closely with the developers and residents to address concerns about the technology parkâs potential impacts to the surrounding rural area. Tract agreed to conduct noise studies during the site approval stage for each data center as well as post-construction. The company also will create resource protection areas and provide a $3.5 million cash contribution to make road infrastructure improvements. An additional $100,000 will be provided to the county for improvements to nearby Washington Lacy Park, which currently offers trails for horseback riding and hiking.
Tract is engaged in permitting activities for the initial horizontal development, which it expects will commence within the calendar year. Tract and Dominion Energy have already ordered long lead equipment for the initial substation and power for bridging purposes is expected as early as 2026. The Timmons Group and Hirschler Fleischer, PC supported Tract in the entitlements and transaction process.
Tract currently owns or is under contract on more than 20,000 acres across the nation which are in various stages of rezoning, design and horizontal construction.
