Louisa County Sale of Shannon Hill Regional Business Park
LOUISA, VIRGINIA – Louisa County announces the sale of the Shannon Hill Regional Business Park, totaling 697 acres to EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure, a wholesale data center developer and operator. The selection of EdgeCore as the purchaser was largely due to the company’s dedicated focus on community engagement and sustainability programs.
As EdgeCore has done with its data center campuses in other markets, the company will employ its community-first approach in Louisa County. Residents can expect EdgeCore’s development to generate economic growth and jobs, as well as to have minimal impact on local water supplies and the surrounding landscape. EdgeCore will leverage best practices honed in Phoenix, Arizona and other markets to minimize impact throughout construction and operations.
To ensure EdgeCore’s campus makes the most efficient use of water possible, the company will employ a close-looped air-cooled system at its Louisa County campus that uses very little water to cool its facilities and carries a benchmark water usage effectiveness (WUE) rating below .01 L/kWh—far lower than the industry average.
Further, Shannon Hill’s sizeable acreage allows for significant buffers around EdgeCore’s facilities, and the park’s development will adhere to the County’s zoning requirements.
History of Shannon Hill Regional Business Park
The park, located off I-64, was purchased by Louisa County in 2018 for $2.6M and zoned in 2019 for several technology-based uses, including data center development. The Louisa County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) recommended the purchase to the Board of Supervisors to favorably position the County for economic growth in targeted markets, including the growing technology sector. Leveraging economic development grants of $13.6M and a $17M debt issuance, the County conducted general site readiness efforts and invested $29.5M in utilities to serve both the park and other future needs along the Rt. 250 corridor.
Application of Surplus Funds from Property Sale
EdgeCore purchased the property for $42M, and the surplus funds will be primarily used for early repayment of County debt. Minimizing debt is part of the Board’s capable fiscal oversight, and the County’s debt payments represented less than 4% of operating revenue in fiscal year 2024. The use of future annual revenues from the development itself will be significant and is under consideration by the Board of Supervisors.
“This announcement marks a realization of the park’s full benefits,” said Dustin Madison, Chairman of the Louisa County Industrial Development Authority. “EdgeCore’s development enables the property’s usage in a manner that minimizes traffic on Shannon Hill Road, conserves water, and generates significant and ongoing revenues which will benefit our citizens.”
Data centers represent tax revenue powerhouses, and these revenues are anticipated to be available within the next few years. Through its Revenue Committee, the Board of Supervisors is actively planning best uses for these funds to directly benefit residents, and the public is invited to provide input by contacting their District Representative on the Board.