(Photo from AVAIO Digital website)
- The project will be located in Brandon and include at least 60 direct, high-tech jobs. Construction of the data center complex is expected to be complete during the first half of 2027.
Mississippi is getting another multi-billion-dollar investment, this time from a Connecticut-based developer and operator of sustainable data centers.
Governor Tate Reeves announced Tuesday that AVAIO Digital was building a new $6 billion data center campus at the East Metropolitan Center Business and Industrial Park in Brandon.
“Today is another historic day for Mississippi,” Reeves said in a statement. “AVAIO Digital’s $6 billion investment is the third largest in our state’s history and a great vote of confidence in our people, our communities and our ability to get companies up and running faster.”
Reeves said the project will not only transform Rankin County and the Metro Jackson region, but it will transform that state’s economic landscape and lead to even more high-tech leaders choosing Mississippi.
“We are competing – and winning – on the global stage, and our state is open for business and ready to lead. The Mississippi Momentum is strong, and this is our time,” Reeves added.
AVAIO Digital specializes in wholesale data center development in commercially attractive locations in North America and Europe. Privately owned, AVAIO Digital focuses on acquiring and developing attractive data center locations, then taking on the challenge of securing permits, power, fiber and other utility infrastructure, all to offer customers an accelerated, de-risked facility in our markets.
The governor’s office said Tuesday that AVAIO Digital’s new Brandon data center campus will be named AVAIO Digital Taurus and will provide new workforce development opportunities in the state while also providing a variety of jobs for the Greater Jackson-area’s workforce.
The workforce opportunities include at least 60 direct, high-tech jobs and hundreds of indirect jobs ranging from construction to other related industries.
The Brandon campus will reportedly feature high-speed, low-latency connectivity options, including direct access to multiple long-haul fiber routes nearby that link seamlessly to major data center hubs such as Dallas and Atlanta. The governor’s office said the intelligent sustainable design features include details like water-efficient cooling, rainwater recapture and rooftop solar and cooling system economization to minimize power demands. Once fully equipped, the facility will support computer server, networking and data storage technologies that power cloud computing and artificial intelligence applications.
AVAIO Digital CEO Mark McComiskey said in a statement that the Greater Jackson area is poised to become a new hub for cloud computing and AI development, and his company is delighted to partner with the city of Brandon to make a significant investment in expanding the region’s digital and energy infrastructure.
“Mississippi provides a unique opportunity for hyperscalers to rapidly expand their digital presence in close proximity to established data center markets in a highly-sustainable way,” McComiskey said.
Entergy Mississippi will provide reliable power for the project.
“Mississippi continues to lead the southeast region into a new economic and innovation era, with the announcement of AVAIO Digital’s data center hub in Brandon. The development proves why Entergy’s investment in reliable, clean and efficient power generation is essential to attracting new business and the state’s growth,” said Entergy CEO Haley Fisackerly. “Thanks to the Mississippi Development Authority and Rankin First Economic Development Authority for a partnership that is allowing us to meet our customers’ needs while supporting sustainability and economic growth.”
The Mississippi Development Authority has approved AVAIO Digital Taurus for the state’s Data Center Enterprises tax exemption. MDA also previously provided assistance through the Site Development Grant Program to help develop the East Metropolitan Business and Industrial Park. Rankin County and the city of Brandon are assisting with the project, as well.
AVAIO Digital expects construction of the data center complex to be complete during the first half of 2027.
Frank Corder
