Zoning hurdle cleared for proposed Arizona data center hub with up to 59 buildings

A prominent Arizona landowner’s plan to turn more than 3,300 acres of vacant desert land into a data center hub is moving forward.

BY HAILEY MENSIK/PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL

Apr 20, 2026, 5:01 AM Updated: May 1, 2026, 10:04 am

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A prominent Arizona landowner’s plan to turn more than 3,300 acres of vacant desert land in Pinal County into a future data center hub with its own power-generating facilities is moving forward.

After a lengthy Q&A session with Pinal County’s Planning and Zoning Committee members at an April 16 meeting, the committee ultimately voted 7-2 to recommend approval for rezoning the site.

The applicant and landowner, Vermaland LLC, is calling the project the La Osa Energy Center. It would include up to 59 data center buildings along with two gas-fired power plants and battery energy storage systems (BESS), according to a narrative document.

The site where the project is proposed is off Picacho Highway, roughly an hour drive south of Phoenix and near the city of Eloy.

This story is posted in partnership with Phoenix Business Journal. Click to read the full story.