10/08/2026
Spartanburg County officials traveled to Loudoun County, Virginia, October 4–6 to learn about its experience with data center development through discussions with local elected officials, utility representatives, and industry experts.
Council members Paul Abbott and Monier Abusaft were joined by County Administrator Cole Alverson, Assistant County Administrator Kevin Stiens, and Planning & Development Director Todd Okolichany. Representatives of OneSpartanburg, Inc., the County’s economic development partner, also participated, drawing on existing connections in the area to help facilitate discussions.
OneSpartanburg, Inc.’s participation provided an opportunity for the County’s economic development partner to hear these experiences and lessons firsthand and better understand Council members’ priorities and concerns regarding future development.
The visit was initiated by members of Council and built on other County fact-finding efforts, including Public Safety Committee meetings, to better understand the industry and inform future land use decisions. Spartanburg County booked and funded its own travel arrangements.
The group focused on land use and siting considerations, the benefits and drawbacks of data center development, and lessons learned over time. Participants asked direct questions, examined differing perspectives, and sought to understand how Loudoun County’s unique history shaped its experience.
Loudoun County, often referred to as “Data Center Alley,” is home to the world’s largest concentration of data centers, with more than 200 facilities. The trip offered insight into both the industry’s economic contributions and its effects on surrounding communities, including land use, water and energy needs, noise and air quality, and community appearance. The County’s extensive experience provided valuable context for Spartanburg County’s consideration of future land use regulations.
“We requested this trip to learn from Loudoun County, which has more experience with data centers than any other community in the country. Seeing these facilities firsthand and hearing directly about what has worked, what could have been done differently, and how development has affected nearby residents was eye-opening and incredibly informative,” said Councilman Abusaft. “Those lessons will help shape Spartanburg County’s approach to data center development moving forward.”
The group took a driving tour of Data Center Alley, toured a data center, and visited the Vantage VA2 site and neighboring residential properties to observe facility locations and their relationship to surrounding neighborhoods.
The visit also included discussions with Loudoun County Supervisors, Amazon data center representatives, other industry representatives, and Loudoun County’s Chamber of Commerce and economic development officials who have been directly involved with these projects. Additionally, the group met with Loudoun Water and a Virginia state delegate representing Loudoun County.
Our team learned about the substantial economic contributions of data centers in Loudoun County. According to Loudoun County, data centers generated $1.2 billion in real and personal property tax revenue in fiscal year 2026, representing 39% of its overall budget. The County reports that this revenue has helped lower real property and vehicle tax rates while supporting schools, public safety, infrastructure, and other community services.
According to our County officials, concerns raised during discussions in Loudoun County closely resembled those expressed locally. These included noise, aesthetics, proximity to residential neighborhoods, and setbacks. Council members appreciated the earnest feedback on these concerns, including where opportunities to offer better results for surrounding communities had been missed.
“What benefited me most was hearing directly from local elected officials about the good, bad, and ugly of data center development. They did not sugarcoat the issues that concerned their constituents, and they also addressed rumors and misleading information. They gave us a balanced account of what they did right and where they fell short,” said Councilman Abbott. “My biggest takeaway was the importance of properly siting these facilities, particularly in relation to residential neighborhoods. Each site is unique, and I’ll continue examining appropriate setbacks and other protections as we develop our regulations. This trip gave me much-needed clarity on several issues.”
Loudoun County officials told our team that public concern about data center development had become more prominent within the past year, despite the industry’s presence in the county since the late 1990s.
Councilman Abusaft extended his stay by an additional night to attend the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors’ October 6 meeting. The agenda included data center grandfathering rules, microgrids, and land use and electrical infrastructure considerations for property owned by Amazon Data Services. He wanted to observe the Board’s consideration of these issues and hear residents’ concerns firsthand.
Information gathered during the visit will help inform the development of new data center land use regulations in Spartanburg County. The County will consider those lessons alongside information gathered through committee meetings and other research as it evaluates appropriate locations, development standards, and compatibility with surrounding communities.
https://www.spartanburgcounty.gov/m/newsflash/home/detail/276
