Blackstone's QTS Abandons World's Largest Data Center Project in Virginia
On July 2, 2026, Blackstone-owned QTS terminated its planned "Digital Gateway" data center campus in Prince William County, Virginia, after withdrawing a final appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court. The 2,100-acre, 22-million-square-foot project—potentially the world's largest—was defeated by a procedural flaw in public hearing notices and years of lawsuits from residents and preservation groups opposing its location near Manassas National Battlefield Park. The land reverts to rural zoning, marking a major victory for anti-data-center activists.
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Largest U.S. Data Center Project in Virginia Officially Abandoned After Legal Battle
The Prince William Digital Gateway, the largest data center project ever proposed in the U.S., is officially dead after Blackstone-owned QTS Realty Trust withdrew its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2. The planned 2,100-acre campus in Prince William County, Virginia, would have included 37 buildings and 22 million square feet of data centers near Manassas National Battlefield Park, with an estimated $100 billion price tag. The project's 2023 rezoning was voided in March by the Virginia Court of Appeals due to a public notice error. Co-developer Compass Datacenters and the county board had already dropped their appeals. Blackstone's broader data center business remains unaffected, managing over $150 billion in digital infrastructure assets globally. The collapse highlights growing local resistance to data center expansion in Northern Virginia, driven by concerns over land use, water, and grid strain.
OilPrice.com Daily News UpdateWorld's Largest Proposed Data Center Project Officially Dead After Appeal Withdrawal
The Prince William Digital Gateway, the largest data center project ever proposed in the U.S., is officially dead after Blackstone-owned QTS Realty Trust withdrew its appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2. The planned 2,100-acre campus near Manassas National Battlefield Park in Prince William County, Virginia, would have included 37 buildings and 22 million square feet of data centers at an estimated $100 billion cost. The project's 2023 rezoning was voided in March by the Virginia Court of Appeals due to a public notice error, ending a three-year legal battle. Co-developer Compass Datacenters and the county board had already dropped appeals. Despite this setback, Blackstone continues to manage over $150 billion in digital infrastructure assets globally. The article highlights growing local resistance to data center expansion in Northern Virginia, driven by concerns over land use, water, and grid strain.
OilPrice.com Daily News UpdateBlackstone-Owned QTS Abandons World's Largest Data Center Project in Virginia Over Notice Technicality
QTS, a data center developer owned by Blackstone, has officially terminated its plans for the 'Digital Gateway' campus in Prince William County, Virginia, after withdrawing its final appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2. The 22-million-square-foot, gigawatt-scale project—which would have been the world's largest data center complex—collapsed due to a procedural flaw: county rezoning approvals were invalidated because public hearing notices were not separated by the required six days. The project faced years of lawsuits from residents and preservation groups opposed to its location adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park, a historic Civil War site. After courts voided the zoning approvals in March, Prince William County and co-developer Compass Datacenters withdrew. QTS's exit marks the final blow, leaving the land under its original rural zoning. The company will wind down development efforts, marking a significant win for anti-data-center advocates.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBlackstone-Owned QTS Abandons World's Largest Data Center Campus in Virginia
Data center developer QTS, owned by Blackstone, has formally withdrawn its final appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court, ending the planned 2,100-acre 'Digital Gateway' campus in Prince William County. The project would have been the world's largest data center complex at 22 million square feet, located adjacent to the Manassas National Battlefield Park. After years of lawsuits by residents and historic preservation groups, Virginia courts voided the county's initial rezoning approval due to a technicality: improper newspaper public notices that did not meet the required six-day separation interval. Co-developer Compass Datacenters withdrew in April, and Prince William County stopped defending the project. QTS's withdrawal marks the project's complete collapse, a major victory for anti-data-center activists. The land will remain under rural zoning. The article notes broader trends of increasing opposition to data center development in the U.S.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBlackstone-Owned QTS Abandons World's Largest Data Center Project in Virginia After Legal Defeat
Blackstone-owned data center developer QTS has officially terminated plans for the massive 'Digital Gateway' campus in Prince William County, Virginia, after withdrawing its final appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court on July 2. The 2,100-acre, 22-million-square-foot project, which would have been the world's largest data center complex, collapsed following years of lawsuits from local residents and historic preservation groups. The legal battle hinged on a technicality: the county's initial rezoning approval was invalidated because newspaper notices publicizing the hearing were not separated by at least six days as required by law. After Virginia courts upheld the invalidity in March, Prince William County declined to further defend the project, and co-developer Compass Datacenters withdrew. QTS's withdrawal marks the final end of the project, leaving the land adjacent to Manassas National Battlefield Park under its original rural zoning. The case represents a significant victory for anti-data-center activists amid growing opposition to such developments.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBlackstone's QTS Terminates Digital Gateway Data Center Project in Virginia
On July 2, 2026, Blackstone's QTS announced the termination of its planned Digital Gateway data center project in Prince William County, Virginia, and withdrew all associated filings. The decision came after years of local opposition and litigation, despite approval from the Prince William Board of County Supervisors. The data center industry has boomed in Virginia due to demand for AI and cloud computing, but has faced increasing community scrutiny over electricity, land, water, and environmental impacts. QTS stated Virginia remains a key market, highlighting $5 billion in investments in Central Virginia and operations in Northern Virginia and Richmond. The terminated project was expected to bring tens of billions in capital investment, significant annual tax revenue, and thousands of long-term jobs to the county.
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