At a glance
- The estimate comes from a memo by town manager Austin Cyganiewicz to the Select Board, first reported by Data Center Dynamics.
- The first two buildings would each cover about 250,000 square feet and carry roughly 90MW of power capacity, with a planned launch in 2029.
- For an equity partner or lender weighing a 2029 opening, the May 2027 town vote and local approval conditions are the schedule to underwrite.
The Kraft Group could build a 900MW data center campus in Sutton, Massachusetts, representing more than $16 billion of private investment. The estimate comes from a memo by town manager Austin Cyganiewicz to the Select Board, first reported by Data Center Dynamics.
The first two buildings would each cover about 250,000 square feet and carry roughly 90MW of power capacity, with a planned launch in 2029. The campus would sit on the Parkway property of Unified Global Packaging Group, a Sutton-based packaging firm, off Boston Road and Providence Road. Two more buildings would follow each year through 2033, taking the site to ten buildings and about 900MW at full build-out, based on the developer's estimates cited in the memo.
For an equity partner or lender weighing a 2029 opening, the May 2027 town vote and local approval conditions are the schedule to underwrite. Under an executive order from Governor Maura Healey, data centers over 25MW proposed in Massachusetts must be approved by local communities, and developers must implement a community benefits agreement.
The memo estimates the property would pay about $10.4 million a year once fully assessed in 2031, rising to $27.8 million at full build-out. Sutton's entire 2027 tax levy is projected at $32 million, and the assessed value of all property in town is $2.7 billion.
"Because the town raises only what its budget requires, the main effect would be lower tax bills," Cyganiewicz wrote, putting the reduction at about $2,300 for the average single-family home in FY2031 and about $5,800 in FY2035.
The proposal is tentative and no formal application has been filed. Cyganiewicz said discussions are under way with the regional grid operator, and cooling would use reclaimed water. At the Nov. 10 Select Board meeting, residents raised concerns about noise from an operating data center and about a possible town moratorium, according to social media comments after the session cited by Data Center Dynamics.
Cyganiewicz laid out approval on parallel tracks, with community benefits discussions, zoning bylaws and a technical review all running toward a town meeting and vote in May 2027.
One campus could nearly match Sutton's entire tax levy
Projected annual property tax from the campus vs. Sutton's whole 2027 levy, $M
- Sutton's 2027 tax levy$32M
- Campus at full build-out$27.8M
- Campus when fully assessed, 2031$10.4M
Show as table
| Item | Value ($M) |
|---|---|
| Sutton's 2027 tax levy | $32M |
| Campus at full build-out | $27.8M |
| Campus when fully assessed, 2031 | $10.4M |
Reported by the Data centers & fiber desk from Data Center Dynamics. Published . Corrections