AVAIO Digital Partners announced a major new data center hub near Little Rock in Pulaski County, Arkansas, representing the largest economic investment in the state's history. The campus will be built in multiple phases with an initial USD 6 billion combined investment from AVAIO and its customers in infrastructure, power, and tenant deployments. AVAIO is currently contracted with Entergy Arkansas for 150 MW of power, with anticipated power demand growing to 1 GW as the facility expands.

Project Timeline and Construction

Construction of the first phase is expected to start in the first quarter of 2026 and will be completed and energized in June 2027. The 760-acre site is designed to support a large, multi-building campus with on-site power generation capabilities.

The new data center campus is expected to create more than 500 new full-time permanent operations jobs over the next five years as the campus is built out. The construction phase will bring thousands of additional jobs to the region.

Strategic Location Advantages

The Little Rock campus was selected for multiple strategic advantages, including robust, low-latency interconnection options with multiple long-haul and regional fiber routes connecting to major data center markets, including Dallas, Atlanta, and Memphis, as well as emerging edge markets across the Southeast and Midwest.

The location offers rapid delivery of grid power by Entergy, with a contracted 150 MW energized in the second quarter of 2027. The site also features substantial on-site natural gas infrastructure, facilitating rapid deployment of energy-efficient on-site power generation.

Sustainable Design Features

AVAIO prioritizes integrating its facilities into communities with minimal impact. The development will feature world-class architecture buffered from neighboring parcels by natural forest and landscaped terrain.

The AVAIO design incorporates intelligent, high-efficiency sustainable elements, including water-efficient cooling technologies, rainwater-recapture systems, rooftop solar generation, and advanced cooling-system economization, to reduce overall power demand. These elements position the Little Rock campus as one of the most forward-leaning and community-conscious digital infrastructure developments in the nation.

Government and Industry Support

Governor Sanders stated that “AVAIO Digital's USD 6 billion data center hub represents the largest economic investment in Arkansas' history and sets the Natural State up to become a technology powerhouse that can compete with any state in the nation.” She noted that Arkansas recently passed legislation that reduced the regulatory timeline for new energy projects by more than half and offered new incentives to data center investments.

Mark McComiskey, CEO of AVAIO Digital, stated that “It is our intention that this extraordinary 760-acre site in the Little Rock area will be both a major pole of data center capacity and an engine of sustained economic and technological momentum for Arkansas. With a first phase investment of USD 6 billion and over USD 21 billion through full development, infrastructure of this scale requires support from communities and partners.”

Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald commented that “Because of Arkansas's favorable position on power, land, teamwork from state and local stakeholders, and a can-do business climate, we are experiencing unprecedented growth. We're excited about AVAIO's commitment to Arkansas and the significant benefits it will bring to the state for years to come.”

Laura Landreaux, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, said, “We are pleased to welcome AVAIO Digital to central Arkansas and are excited about the benefits their investments and jobs bring to our community. This announcement further demonstrates how our state's policies are working. With the ability to make investments in new and economic resources, such as the Jefferson Power Station, Entergy Arkansas can provide the power needed to support the Next Generation of Arkansas and growth in all our communities.”

Clint O'Neal, executive director of the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, noted that “Arkansas has tremendous momentum coming into 2026, and we are excited that AVAIO is announcing a new multi-billion dollar project in Pulaski County to continue our story of growth. All the elements needed for growth are in Arkansas, from an experienced workforce to low costs to ample power.”

Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde added that “AVAIO's campus is a generational investment in the power and digital infrastructure Arkansas needs to compete globally. Their investment and the over 500 jobs it will create underscore my belief that the next wave of American innovation begins with resilient, scalable power at the local level.”

Jay Chesshir, President and CEO of the Little Rock Regional Chamber, explained that “Over three years ago, our team surveyed sites across the region and worked with landowners to market properties with the goal of landing projects like this multi-billion-dollar investment. This property was one we identified, marketed, and helped attract a major investment, which achieved a major milestone today.”

Company Portfolio Expansion

The Leo Data Hub is part of AVAIO Digital's expanding portfolio of hyperscale projects across the United States and Western Europe. AVAIO Digital has secured more than 1.2 GW of power from utilities at campuses in Northern California, Virginia, Arkansas, and Mississippi, and is moving to build out this full capacity, with more than 450 MW being energized in 2027.

The company's focus on rapid time to market, sustainable practices, innovative design, and an integrated approach to grid and behind-the-meter power generation positions it as a leader in the next generation of data center infrastructure. AVAIO Digital is described as a next-generation developer and operator of sustainable data centers delivering flexible, large-scale build-to-suit and powered shell solutions to AI, HPC, and hyperscaler data center clients.

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