900-megawatt data center campus proposed for central Massachusetts, backed by Kraft Group
A data center campus has been proposed in Sutton, Massachusetts, with plans calling for 10 buildings that would use about 900 megawatts of power while bringing down taxes for residents, according to the town manager.
The $16 billion proposal is backed by United Global Packaging Group and The Kraft Group, which are both affiliated with New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Sutton town manager Austin Cyganiewicz laid out the proposal in a memo to the Select Board, which has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday night.
"The proposal is tentative," he writes. "No application has been filed, and important details on power, water, equipment and site impacts are still to come."
Sutton, located south of Worcester, has a population of just under 10,000. The data center campus is proposed for a property off Boston Road and Providence Road.
Under the current plan, the first two buildings would open in 2029, and two more would open every year through 2033.
Once complete, Cyganiewicz says the project would bring in $27.8 million in tax revenue, which is nearly the town's entire 2027 tax levy of $32 million.
"Because the Town raises only what its budget requires, the main effect would be lower tax bills: about $2,300 less for the average single-family home in FY2031 and about $5,800 less in FY2035," the memo says.
Data centers have been a controversial topic nationwide because of the energy and water resources they require to power AI. Developers told the town they are in talks with regional grid operator ISO New England about securing the necessary power, and they are exploring using treated wastewater for cooling.
In September, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued an executive order requiring data center developers to enter into community benefit agreements with local cities and towns. She also said new data centers would need to provide their own energy or pay a fee so that the costs are returned to taxpayers. The state paused tax breaks for data centers back in June.
WBZ-TV has reached out to the town of Sutton and the Kraft Group, but so far they have declined to comment.
