AVAIO Digital Leo data center campus near Wrightsville
Also called: Project Leo, AVAIO Little Rock campus
AVAIO Digital plans a $6 billion first phase of a data center campus on about 760 to 1,000 acres in rural Pulaski County near Wrightsville. It could grow to $21 billion and 1 gigawatt of power. The county is fighting over whether new rules apply to it.
Where things stand: Announced Jan 2026 with a power contract. Not built yet as of May 2026. A county ordinance that would cover it was vetoed in Sept 2026; backers plan an override vote.
🕒 Latest update (Sept 25, 2026): County Judge Barry Hyde vetoed the ordinance; 9 of 15 votes are needed to override it.
What we know
- 📍 WhereUnincorporated land west of Wrightsville, near Interstate 530 and 145th Street, Pulaski County, Pulaski County
- 🏢 CompanyAVAIO Digital Partners
- 🌳 Size1,000 acres
- ⚡ Power it needs150 megawatts (about as much as 120,000 homes)
- 🔌 Where the power comes fromEntergy Arkansas contract for 150 MW (up to 1 GW later); company also plans gas generation on site and rooftop solar
- 💧 WaterCentral Arkansas Water (no river, creek or groundwater, officials said)
- ❄️ CoolingCompany says it will use water-saving cooling and rainwater capture
- 💵 Cost$6 billion
- 👷 Jobs promised500
❓ Still unanswered
Nobody has answered these in public yet. Can you help find out?
- How much water will the campus really use? Critics cite up to 4 million gallons a day. 🙋 I'll find out
- How big will the on-site gas power plant be, and has it applied for an air permit? 🙋 I'll find out
- Will the county ordinance become law after the veto override vote, and will it apply to this project? 🙋 I'll find out
- Has the company started construction? 🙋 I'll find out
What happened so far
- Jan 12, 2026AVAIO announced a $6 billion first phase on 760 acres, with a 150 MW Entergy contract and plans to reach up to 1 gigawatt.
- May 12, 2026Officials said construction had not started; Central Arkansas Water will supply water.
- July 28, 2026Pulaski County Quorum Court rejected, 10-3, a 12-month moratorium that would have exempted AVAIO's first phase (30 acres, two buildings).
- Sept 2026Reports said AVAIO had bought about 300 more acres, bringing its land to about 1,000 acres.
- Sept 22, 2026Quorum Court passed, 11-4, an ordinance that treats large data centers as heavy industry needing a special permit, with no exemption for AVAIO.
- Sept 25, 2026County Judge Barry Hyde vetoed the ordinance; 9 of 15 votes are needed to override it.
Local votes and rules
📜 Data center rules
The Quorum Court passed, 11-4, the county's first data center rules for land outside cities. Big data centers become heavy industry and need a special permit (conditional use). AVAIO's Wrightsville project is not exempt. County Judge Barry Hyde vetoed it on Sept. 25, citing lawsuit risk. Backers plan an override vote at the next regular meeting; 9 of 15 votes are needed.
✋ Turned down
The Quorum Court voted 10-3 against a 12-month pause on large data centers. Critics said its exemption for AVAIO's Wrightsville project was a "free pass". The county was left with no pause.
📌 Other
City Council passed a resolution to study annexing three areas around Wrightsville. The mayor said the west area would ideally include AVAIO's planned data center site. A draft ordinance would put annexation to voters. Critics say it would move the project out of county rules; the mayor says the data center is not the reason.
✋ Turned down
The Quorum Court voted on a one-year pause on new data centers, with an exemption for AVAIO's Wrightsville project. The clerk first said it passed, but two days later said she miscounted: it got 8 yes votes, not the 10 needed for an emergency ordinance. So it did not pass.
An aerial photo of the area.
Where this comes from
- AVAIO Digital Announces New Large-Scale AI-Ready Data Center and Power Campus in Little Rock, Arkansas · Arkansas Economic Development Commission · Jan 12, 2026
- Hyperscale data centers come to Arkansas · Talk Business & Politics · Feb 15, 2026
- The data centers · Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · May 3, 2026
- Entergy, CAW, local officials answer concerns surrounding Little Rock data centers · KATV · May 12, 2026
- Quorum Court rejects data center moratorium that would have given AVAIO a "free pass" · Arkansas Times · July 28, 2026
- Pulaski County's first data center ordinance awaits judge's signature; no AVAIO carve-out · KATV · Sept 24, 2026
- County judge vetoes Pulaski County data center ordinance; override of veto expected · Arkansas Times · Sept 25, 2026
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