$26B in Data‑Center Builds Move Forward in Arkansas, Mississippi

Two of the most important information middle investments introduced within the U.S. are shifting forward in Arkansas and Mississippi, the place AVAIO Digital Companions and Elon Musk-owned xAI plan greater than $26 billion in mixed improvement throughout the neighboring states—initiatives that rank as the most important financial investments in historical past for every.

In Arkansas, AVAIO will construct a multi‑part information middle campus on a 760‑acre web site in Pulaski County, with a $6-billion first part. The campus, named AVAIO Digital Leo, will function computing, networking and information‑storage applied sciences and energy infrastructure for cloud and AI functions.

Development is scheduled to start within the first quarter of 2026. Entergy Arkansas is contracted to ship 150 MW of energy in June 2027, and AVAIO anticipates that whole demand may attain 1 GW because the campus expands. The corporate mentioned the venture will generate 1000’s of development jobs and greater than 500 everlasting operations jobs over the subsequent 5 years. 

AVAIO CEO Mark McComiskey mentioned the location “can be each a serious pole of knowledge middle capability and an engine of sustained financial and technological momentum for Arkansas,” including that full buildout is predicted to exceed $21 billion. The corporate mentioned the campus will incorporate water‑environment friendly cooling, rainwater recapture, rooftop photo voltaic and superior cooling‑system economization, with pure forest and landscaped buffers across the web site.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders mentioned the venture “represents the most important financial funding in Arkansas historical past and units the [state] as much as grow to be a know-how powerhouse that may compete with any state within the nation,” including that legislation approved last year reduce regulatory timelines for brand spanking new power initiatives by greater than half and launched extra incentives geared toward supporting information‑middle improvement.

In Mississippi, xAI has dedicated greater than $20 billion to a brand new information middle in Southaven. Gov. Tate Reeves referred to as it “the most important financial improvement venture in Mississippi’s historical past” and “a tremendous begin to what’s positive to be one other unimaginable yr for financial improvement” within the state.

The corporate is retrofitting a constructing for the ability, which can be often called MACROHARDRR, with the venture anticipated to create tons of of everlasting jobs in DeSoto County. The location is situated close to xAI’s newly acquired energy plant in Southaven and one in every of its present information facilities. The Mississippi Improvement Authority accredited the venture for the state’s Data Center Incentive, offering a gross sales and use tax exemption on computing gear.

Musk mentioned xAI is constructing a 3rd information middle within the better Memphis space, including that MACROHARDRR “pushes our Colossus coaching compute to [about] 2GW—by far probably the most highly effective AI system on Earth.” Mississippi’s concentrate on “pace, certainty and readiness” helped safe the venture, mentioned state improvement company Govt Director Invoice Cork, calling it proof that the state is ready for large-scale know-how improvement.