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

Two of the most important knowledge 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 growth 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‑section knowledge middle campus on a 760‑acre web site in Pulaski County, with a $6-billion first section. The campus, named AVAIO Digital Leo, will characteristic computing, networking and knowledge‑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 might attain 1 GW because the campus expands. The corporate mentioned the mission will generate hundreds of development jobs and greater than 500 everlasting operations jobs over the subsequent 5 years. 

AVAIO CEO Mark McComiskey mentioned the positioning “can be each a serious pole of information 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 mission “represents the most important financial funding in Arkansas historical past and units the [state] as much as turn into a expertise powerhouse that may compete with any state within the nation,” including that legislation approved last year minimize regulatory timelines for brand new power initiatives by greater than half and launched further incentives geared toward supporting knowledge‑middle growth.

In Mississippi, xAI has dedicated greater than $20 billion to a brand new knowledge middle in Southaven. Gov. Tate Reeves known as it “the most important financial growth mission in Mississippi’s historical past” and “an incredible begin to what’s positive to be one other unbelievable yr for financial growth” within the state.

The corporate is retrofitting a constructing for the power, which can be referred to as MACROHARDRR, with the mission anticipated to create a whole lot of everlasting jobs in DeSoto County. The positioning is positioned close to xAI’s newly acquired energy plant in Southaven and one in all its present knowledge facilities. The Mississippi Improvement Authority authorised the mission for the state’s Data Center Incentive, offering a gross sales and use tax exemption on computing tools.

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