Lambda plans $33.1 billion data center campus in Lowndes County, Alabama
Lambda, which calls itself the Superintelligence Cloud, plans to build a large-scale data center campus in Lowndes County, Alabama. The proposed Red Clay Technology Center Campus represents an estimated $33.1 billion investment, according to the company.
- Lambda plans the Red Clay Technology Center Campus in Lowndes County, Alabama, an estimated $33.1 billion investment.
- Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and take up to five years, with power from Alabama Power pending regulatory approval.
- The project is expected to create more than 1,000 construction jobs and support more than 225 full-time roles.
- Projected local tax revenue is more than $2.8 billion through 2049, including more than $1.6 billion for Lowndes County Public Schools.
- Lambda says it will cover the full cost of power and grid infrastructure and use closed-loop cooling to reduce water use.
What Lambda is planning
The Red Clay Technology Center Campus was readied for development by Cloverleaf Infrastructure, which will see Lambda act as the end user of the site. Lambda announced the plans on November 4, 2026. The company says the project is expected to create more than 1,000 construction jobs over the course of development and to support more than 225 full-time roles in operations, technical and support functions.
According to the announcement, the project will be powered by Alabama Power, pending regulatory approval. Construction is expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027 and could take up to five years. The campus is planned near U.S. Highway 80 and Alabama Highway 21, and final design details will be developed as planning progresses.
Lambda says it will work with local partners to identify opportunities for Lowndes County residents to fill operational positions and for local contractors to support construction.
Tax revenue and community funding
Cloverleaf Infrastructure had previously announced projected local tax revenue of more than $2.8 billion through 2049. That figure includes more than $1.6 billion for Lowndes County Public Schools. Combined state and local tax revenue is projected to reach $3.4 billion through 2049.
Lambda, together with Cloverleaf, is also investing $10 million through a Community Benefits Agreement with the Central Alabama Community Foundation. The company says it is working to ensure the investment reflects community input and supports locally identified priorities.
Samita Jeter, Superintendent of Lowndes County Public Schools, said the school revenue could help strengthen facilities, expand career and technical education programs and support students, teachers and staff. She also said the district sees an opportunity to explore new incentives to attract and retain highly qualified teachers.
Commitments on power, water and design
Lambda lists several commitments tied to the project:
- Ratepayer protection: Lambda says it will pay the full cost of the power and grid infrastructure needed to serve the facility, through upfront financial commitments that apply even if project plans change. The aim is that these costs are not shifted to Alabama Power's existing customers. Both companies have also signed the White House Ratepayer Protection Pledge.
- Water stewardship: The facility will use closed-loop cooling technology that, according to Lambda, significantly reduces water use compared with traditional data center cooling systems. Lambda also plans to partner with N-Drip to help local farmers conserve water, working with the community to return at least as much water as the facility uses.
- Respectful project design: The design will include setbacks, buffers, noise-reduction measures and DarkSky lighting to limit impacts on neighboring properties. Sight-line modeling will guide building placement. Lambda says it will uphold all requirements in the Project Red Clay development agreements with Lowndes County.
Local reaction and what comes next
Local officials backed the plan in statements included in the announcement. Thomas Ellis, Chairman of the Lowndes County Economic Development Commission, said the project "will bring good-paying jobs, create opportunities for local businesses, and provide lasting resources to improve our schools, roads, and essential services." County Commissioner Charlie King, Jr. pointed to Lambda's commitment to hire qualified county residents and contractors.
Lambda executives stressed community relations. Co-founder and Chief Technology Officer Stephen Balaban said the company is committed to "showing up as a good neighbor." Chief Executive Officer Michel Combes described the project as "a significant and historic investment in Lowndes County."
Lambda says it will keep engaging residents and local leaders, sharing project information and listening to concerns as planning advances. Further details on timing, design and expected impacts will be released as they become available. The company describes itself as an AI cloud infrastructure provider founded in 2012 that builds supercomputers for AI training and inference. For Lowndes County, the key open questions are regulatory approval for the power supply and the final design of the campus.
