Lambda Plans AI Data Center in Oklahoma's MidAmerica Industrial Park

Lambda, the AI cloud and data center company, has announced plans to develop a new data center facility in Chouteau, Mayes County, Oklahoma, within the MidAmerica Industrial Park. The project marks another significant step in the company's broader ambition to scale its GPU-based cloud compute footprint across the United States, targeting gigawatts of capacity by 2030.

The planned facility will be located outside Tulsa in the MidAmerica Industrial Park, Oklahoma's largest industrial park, which spans 9,000 acres and sits approximately 47 miles east of Tulsa near Pryor. Google has maintained a data center presence in the park since 2011, and the campus has been expanded at regular intervals since its initial opening. The park was originally established in 1960 when the US federal government sold most of the former Oklahoma Ordnance Works munitions plant to the Oklahoma Ordnance Works Authority, a public trust.

While Lambda did not disclose full details of the facility, the company said the data center would employ a closed-loop cooling system to reduce water consumption. MidAmerica noted that Lambda is designing the project to be grid-reactive, capable of dialing back certain computing loads during periods of peak demand. The company also committed to paying approximately $500 million in taxes over the next ten years and will cover the costs of any new infrastructure needed to power and operate the facility, in compliance with Oklahoma's Data Center Customer Ratepayer Protection Act.

"Lambda is committed to being a good neighbor and long-term partner with the town of Chouteau and Mayes County," said Stephen Balaban, co-founder and CTO at Lambda. "We've been meeting with local leaders to understand their priorities and help shape our long-term investments in the community. We're going to keep listening, keep showing up, and let our work here speak for itself."

Cloverleaf Infrastructure had previously been working on preparing the site for development. "Cloverleaf is proud that Grand River Dam Authority and MidAmerica Industrial Park selected us to help ready this site for future development," said Aaron Bilyeu, chief development officer at Cloverleaf Infrastructure. "We are confident in Lambda's ability to lead the project, and expect it to create significant construction jobs, generate long-term employment opportunities, and deliver meaningful tax revenue that will support local priorities, public services, and infrastructure investments for years to come."

Lambda CEO Michel Combes emphasized the company's commitment to responsible development, stating, "When developed responsibly, data centers can create lasting economic opportunities and investments in the communities where they operate. Our responsibility is to ensure that this project delivers value to Mayes County while respecting the community's resources, infrastructure, and priorities."

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt also welcomed the project, noting that Lambda has committed to taking responsibility for the energy costs associated with its facility, ensuring those costs are not passed along to residential customers while generating hundreds of millions in tax revenue and economic growth for the state.

Founded in 2012, Lambda operates out of 15 data centers across the United States and counts Microsoft and Anthropic among its known customers. The company is expected to go public via an IPO in the near future. The Oklahoma project represents a significant expansion of Lambda's infrastructure footprint and underscores the growing trend of AI-focused data center development in regions offering competitive energy pricing, available land, and supportive regulatory environments.