Major Valley landowner slashes data center plans in Pinal County amid public outcry

Vermaland LLC has scaled back its plan for the La Osa Energy Center in Pinal County from 59 to 11 data center buildings.

BY HAILEY MENSIK/PHOENIX BUSINESS JOURNAL

Jun 2, 2026, 2:12 PM

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A major Valley landowner is significantly scaling back plans for a massive data center hub in Pinal County amid what a project representative described as a “tremendous amount of misinformation” about the project, marking the latest hurdle for the industry in Arizona.

Vermaland LLC’s La Osa Energy Center was initially supposed to include up to 59 data center buildings along with two gas-fired power plants across more than 3,300 acres of vacant desert, making it the largest then in the state. That plan was approved by the county’s planning and zoning commission during an April meeting.

But a wave of last-minute opposition letters pushing concerns about the impact of the project have led to a major reduction.

Now La Osa will have 11 data center buildings and one gas-fired plant, said Court Rich, an attorney with Rose Law Group representing Vermaland, during a May 27 Pinal County Board of Supervisors meeting.

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