(TNS) — A data center could be built in rural Mooresville if the town’s board of commissioners approves annexation and rezoning requests later this year for the Mooresville Technology Park.
Tract, the company that plans to build a data center there, says that the project would create approximately 1,000 construction jobs and 200 permanent jobs.
Here’s everything you need to know about the proposed data center campus.
The widow of seven-time NASCAR champion Dale Earnhardt owns the land that Tract plans to build its data center on.
Teresa Earnhardt owns the roughly 400 acres along Patterson Farm Road and Coddle Creek that could be the home of the data center if the zoning request is approved later this year.
Last October, Bowman Construction applied for the zoning change on behalf of Earnhardt Farms LLC. Under the request, the 399.25-acre property would be annexed by the town and changed from residential agricultural zoning to industrial.
Tract’s presentation to the town of Mooresville
Tract, a company that designs, constructs and operates over 400 data centers, including global operations for Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Meta and Oracle, is the company looking to locate at the proposed Mooresville Technology Park.
The company said in its presentation to Mooresville’s town government that the site was chosen due to its proximity to long-haul fiber routes, power capacity, site access and existing vegetation to provide adequate buffering with other properties. The company also said a strong workforce and location near Charlotte were key factors in choosing Mooresville. Charlotte is one of the growing markets in the country for large-scale cloud service providers that build and maintain the infrastructure needed for those services, Tract said.
Tract said that infrastructure, such as access to a nearby 230kV transmission line, would be paid for by the company. The company said it will not lead to residential power disruption or disrupt the local water supply.
Maya Ward of NP Strategies, which is handling public relations for Tract, said that once the data center is up and running, the project is expected to create 195 full-time jobs with an average salary of $100,000 a year. Some jobs only require a high school diploma or an associate degree, Ward said.
Some neighbors oppose the Mooresville Technology Park
Since it became apparent that the Earnhardt property would be developed, some nearby residents have raised concerns about the project.
Alan Goodman, who lives nearby, said at a planning board meeting last year that he feels the park doesn’t fit into an area that has been more rural.
“As you can hear, my roots run deep and I look to preserve the countryside around Coddle Creek Church,” Goodman said. “The residential agricultural designation of the land within miles around the Earnhardt property seems to be working, as there is no industry, no dense housing and most of the homesites are picturesque farms or large homesites. In other words, the RA zoning has worked because the quality of life in our area is great, with the exception of Highway 3 traffic.”
Neighbors and other nearby residents have spoken out against the proposed development at the town’s planning board and board of commissioners meetings. Concerns include increased traffic, changes in quality of life and the data center’s impact on land values.
Another concern has been the effect on utilities like water and electricity. Tract said the town has confirmed capacity to provide up to 500,000 gallons per day of potable water to the development.
Public hearing may take place in September
If the Mooresville Town Board of Commissioners approves a public hearing request at its Aug. 4 meeting, a public hearing for the Mooresville Technology Park could tentatively be scheduled for Sept. 15.
Timeline for the data center
Here is the timeline of the project according to Tract.
Aug. 1, 2023 — Tract initiated engagement with Duke Energy
Jan. 22, 2024 — Received preliminary study results
April 16, 2024 — Executed formal engineering study agreement
May 21, 2024 — Participated in Duke Energy’s Integrated Resource Plan
July 16, 2024 — Duke committed to providing a path to serve Tract’s requested capacity
Aug. 9, 2024 — Duke delivered transmission feasibility study results, confirming it can meet Tract’s load ramp
April 16, 2025 — Duke issued a binding power agreement requiring significant capital deployment
September 2025, tentatively — Tract will execute the agreement after zoning approval from the town of Mooresville.
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