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Fluidstack has begun construction on a 99-acre data center campus at Progress Park in Wythe County, Virginia, WDBJ reported. Wythe County is the only
Featured: High-resolution aerial view showing prepared industrial acreage and infrastructure at Progress Park in Wytheville, Virginia. locality in the New River Valley with a data center under construction, WSLS reported.
The campus is called Solis Arx. Wythe County and the Joint Industrial Development Authority announced the AI computing campus with developer Solis Arx on Dec. 5, 2025. Fluidstack, an AI cloud firm, acquired Solis Arx and briefed the county Board of Supervisors on its plans for the site on June 9, 2026. Fluidstack builds and will operate the campus on Lot 35, a lot the county provided at no cost, Baxtel records.
The project is expected to draw more than $1 billion in investment, covering real property improvements, power infrastructure, IT hardware, equipment and workforce, Data Center Dynamics reported. Fluidstack expects about 1,000 construction workers at peak and 75 permanent employees once the campus is operating.
Appalachian Power serves the site, and Fluidstack says it will pay for all of its own energy and fund upgrades to the existing Gradient substation, according to the company's project site. The campus uses closed-loop cooling with a one-time fill of about 400,000 gallons, and daily water use is limited to employee needs such as kitchens and restrooms. Fluidstack says it will not run on-site gas generation and will keep three backup generators.
Wythe County expects an additional $10 million in annual revenue by 2028 from the project, DCD reported. Fluidstack says it did not seek or accept local property tax incentives. The company held an open house at the Wytheville Meeting Center on Oct. 28, 2026, to answer questions about water, power and taxes.
"People are usually concerned about water usage, and we're only building closed-loop cooling, so it's a one-time fill of a cooling tank," said Kate Franco, Fluidstack's public affairs lead.
Opponents said the session came after key decisions were made. "It's a good thing that Fluidstack is finally coming here, but it's a bit after the fact," said Andy
Kegley, a leader with the advocacy group Preserve Wythe. Residents told WSLS they want county zoning rules that would make data centers harder to build. The county Planning Commission has held a public hearing on a draft land use ordinance.
Baxtel counts 77 data center facilities in the Virginia: Rural market, where Microsoft Azure operates 33 sites and the largest, Hillcrest AVC01, holds 64MW. Fluidstack expects most construction to finish by the end of 2027, with operations beginning in phases.
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