Amazon stops building four data centers in Virginia

Amazon has stopped work on plans to construct four data centers on the former George Washington University campus in Loudoun County, Virginia. The company will instead develop most of the 122-acre site for mixed-use and residential projects. This change follows a deal reached with local officials after months of community pushback.

As part of the agreement, Amazon is giving 25 acres of the property to Loudoun County. The land will be used to build a community arts center and a new recreational facility. The company will also add $5 million to the county’s housing fund.

The decision ends a process that began in July when Amazon filed its original proposal for the four facilities. In September, Phyllis J. Randall, the chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, met with company representatives. Randall suggested that Amazon might find a better use for the land than building data centers.

Josh Weissman, Amazon’s vice president for data center development, explained the shift in strategy. He noted that the company bought the campus quickly when it became available. However, the firm took into account the county’s specific concerns about adding more data centers to that location. Weissman stated that Amazon and the county had different views on the site’s legal development potential. He said the best outcome for everyone was a shared vision rather than expensive legal battles.

Loudoun County is known as Data Center Alley because it holds the largest cluster of such facilities in the world. Residents have voiced worries about the noise generated by these buildings and the high levels of electricity they use. The county’s approach to new construction projects has become more cautious in recent months.

The change in plans occurs as national debates around data centers intensify. President Donald Trump recently urged data center builders to pay local communities a dividend to offset rising energy prices. He also said on social media that these facilities should generate their own power and sell any surplus back to the grid.

Randall described the final deal as a result of cooperation between the county and the company. She said the agreement will create new spaces for residents to gather and play. She emphasized that the deal will help provide more affordable homes for working families in the area.