Company to develop on 300 acres in Chesterfield County
Google is to expand its data center footprint in Virginia with a new campus outside Richmond.
The search giant and Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin this week announced Google will invest an additional $9 billion in Virginia through the end of 2026.
The funds will go towards the development of a new data center in Chesterfield County and expansion of the existing facilities in Loudoun and Prince William Counties.
“With today’s announcement, Google is deepening our roots in Virginia; extending our investments across the state to help position Virginia—and America—for the opportunities technology can deliver,” said Alphabet and Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat. “Google’s investments in technical infrastructure and AI skills development help to ensure that people across Virginia and across the United States have access to opportunity in this exciting era of American innovation.”
Details on the Chesterfield development weren’t shared. However, Local press report Google will be developing near to the Meadowville Technology Park outside Richmond, developing on land it acquired from the county economic development authority in 2020 for $18.1 million.
The company acquired the land – around 300 acres at 2700 Bermuda Hundred Road – via Peanut LLC and the development is reportedly known as Project Peanut. Google hasn’t shared details on development, but said the first phase will feature one building and take around 18-24 months to develop.
“Google’s $9 billion investment in Virginia is a powerful endorsement of our Commonwealth’s leadership in the AI economy. As AI is increasingly part of every aspect of work, this project reinforces our commitment to preparing Virginians for the future,” said Governor Glenn Youngkin. “Investments like this not only expand Virginia’s cloud and AI infrastructure but also expand our efforts to build a future-ready workforce through initiatives like our AI Career Launch Pad. Virginia is the largest data center market in the world and remains a top-ranked hub for AI talent and innovation, where opportunity meets preparation.”
Richmon BizSense reports that Google is also behind two other projects in the county; Project Skye in Moseley and Project Loch near Westchester Commons. The two sites – at 4200 Moseley Road near the planned Upper Magnolia Green technology park, while Watkins Centre South is located at 750 Watkins Centre Parkway – total more than 1,200 acres and were acquired for some $60 million this year.
However, the company isn’t set to develop on the two sites in the near term and aren’t part of the $9 billion figure.
“We’re focused on Project Peanut, so we’ll be working on that site. We don’t have plans to develop (projects) Loch and Skye right now,” Google spokeswoman Amber Tillman said in an interview with BizSense.
“Google’s decision to invest in Chesterfield County reflects the strength of our community and its reputation as a leader in technology and innovation,” said Jim Ingle, chair of the Chesterfield County board of supervisors. “I’m encouraged by the meaningful engagement with Google already, focused on their approach to energy efficiency, responsible water use, workforce development and education.”
“Today we celebrate the continued growth of Virginia’s power tech sector,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura. “This is a truly historic investment for Chesterfield, for Virginia students, and for the future of the Commonwealth. Together with Google, Virginia is powering the future of global technological advancement.”
Google operates one cloud region in Virginia that launched in 2017. After buying land in the conuty in 2017, it launched its first self-built facilities in the Old Dominion in 2019. A second facility in Loudoun County launched in 2021 and a third in Prince William County in 2023.
Last year Google said it would investing a further $1 billion in its Virginian data center infrastructure.
In March 2024, a Google-linked company, Sharpless Enterprises, got approval for an 181-acre data center campus in Bristow, Virginia. Earlier this year the company bought land in Virginia’s Botetourt County, west of the city of Lynchburg near the border between Virginia and West Virginia.
Amazon gets approval in Spotsylvania
In other Virginia news this week, Fredericksburg Free Press reports that the Spotsylvania County board of supervisors voted 5-2 to approve rezoning for Hunters Ridge South – a 2.2 million sq ft data center campus Amazon is set to develop. The County planning commission had recommended approval earlier this month.
Source: DCD
