Project Marvel data center campus in Bessemer
Also called: Bessemer hyperscale data center
QTS, a Blackstone company, plans 18 large data center buildings on about 1,600 acres in Bessemer, a $14.5 billion project that could use about 1,200 megawatts. The city approved the rezoning in two votes despite strong opposition from neighbors. A neighbors' lawsuit over the rezoning ended in June 2026.
Where things stand: City Council rezoned about 670 acres in Nov 2025 and about 900 more in Apr 2026. QTS confirmed in July 2026 that it is the developer.
🕒 Latest update (July 1, 2026): QTS Data Centers, owned by Blackstone, confirmed it is behind the project and said it will pay its own energy costs.
What we know
- 📍 WhereNear Rock Mountain Lake Road, just inside Bessemer city limits; added land includes parcels on Old Lawsontown Road, Freeman Avenue and Polara Lane, Bessemer, Jefferson County
- 🏢 CompanyQTS Data Centers (land bought through Logistic Land Investments LLC)
- 🏛️ Owned byBlackstone
- 🌳 Size1,600 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs1,200 megawatts (about as much as 960,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromAlabama Power
- 💧 WaterWarrior River Water Authority (planned) · 2,000,000 gallons a day
- ❄️ Coolingclosed-loop cooling that QTS says uses no water for cooling once running
- 💵 Cost$14.5 billion
- 💸 Tax breaksQTS said it would not seek local property tax breaks.
- 👷 Jobs promised330
- 🤐 Secret deal (NDA)Yes. The mayor, his chief of staff and the city attorney signed a secret deal (NDA) with the developer.
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- Which company will use the data center? 🙋 I'll find out
- How many diesel backup generators will the campus have? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will Bessemer residents' power bills go up because of this project? 🙋 I'll find out
- How much water will the campus use, given earlier estimates of up to 2 million gallons a day? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- April 2025Neighbors sued, saying the city did not give proper legal notice of the rezoning. A judge had the city restart the process.
- Oct 2025Bessemer changed its zoning rules to allow data centers in light industrial areas.
- Nov 18, 2025City Council voted 5-2 to rezone about 670 acres for the data center.
- Feb 17, 2026Planning and Zoning Commission recommended rezoning about 914 more acres, to add buffer land and avoid the planned Northern Beltline road.
- April 21, 2026City Council voted 5-2 to rezone about 900 more acres, growing the campus to about 1,600 acres.
- June 22, 2026The neighbors' lawsuit against the rezoning was dismissed for good after both sides agreed to end it.
- July 1, 2026QTS Data Centers, owned by Blackstone, confirmed it is behind the project and said it will pay its own energy costs.
Local votes and rules
🗺️ Zoning change
Council approved rezoning about 900 more acres for Project Marvel, after the Planning and Zoning Commission recommended it in February. The extra land keeps the campus clear of the planned Northern Beltline road; the campus grows to about 1,600 acres.
🗺️ Zoning change
Council voted 5-2 to rezone about 700 acres from farm land to light industrial for Project Marvel, a planned $14.5 billion data center campus.
🗺️ Zoning change
Council changed the zoning code so data centers of any size are allowed in light industrial areas. Before, data centers were not listed as an allowed use. The change cleared the way for Project Marvel.
⚖️ Court case
Neighbors near Rock Mountain Lake Road sued over the Project Marvel rezoning, calling it unfair 'spot zoning'. A judge first paused the council's action, and the city restarted the process. On June 22, 2026 the case was dismissed for good after both sides agreed to end it.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- Bessemer City Council approves data center construction despite public concerns · Alabama Reflector / Alabama Political Reporter · Nov 20, 2025
- Bessemer council approves major data center rezoning amid community divide · WBRC · April 22, 2026
- Planning commission recommends rezoning 914 acres for data center in Bessemer · ABC 33/40 · Feb 2026
- Bessemer data center rezoning lawsuit dismissed · WBRC · June 25, 2026
- Alabama data centers multiply as artificial intelligence fuels growth · WBRC · Feb 18, 2026
- Bessemer City Council approves rezoning for data center amid community pushback · CBS 42 · April 2026
- Despite Stiff Opposition, an Alabama City Changes Its Laws to Accommodate Data Centers · Inside Climate News · Oct 8, 2025
- QTS confirms plans for proposed data center campus in Bessemer · WBRC · July 2, 2026
- QTS Data Centers behind Bessemer Project Marvel plans · ABC 33/40 · July 2026
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