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Bessemer, AL · Jefferson County County · 33.440°N 86.970°W

QTS Bessemer (Project Marvel)

QTS Data Centers (Blackstone)

ProposedLikely AI-specificReported

This facility is proposed and has not been reported as operational. Details are based on public filings and announcements as of .

Key facts

Location
Bessemer, AL, Jefferson County County
Capacity
—
Powered by
Alabama Power
Announced
2025
Last updated

Civic impact

Economics

Land
1,607 acres

Energy & water

Energy source
Grid · Utility: Alabama Power
Cooling
Closed-loop

Alabama Power confirmed 1,200 MW power availability for the campus. QTS committed project-related energy costs will not be passed on to local utility ratepayers. Opponents (NAACP, Black Warrior Riverkeeper, SELC) raised concerns that the facility will rely on fossil fuels. Bibb County residents identified as potentially facing higher power bills due to grid strain.

QTS committed to a closed-loop cooling system that does not consume water for cooling once operational. Opposition groups including Black Warrior Riverkeeper raised concerns about water impacts during construction and operation, citing proximity to a Black Warrior River tributary. Tuscaloosa County flagged for potential irreversible water impacts.

Community sentiment

Contested

Strong and ongoing opposition. Public Facebook group 'Bessemer Data Center - We Say No!' grew to 720+ members. NAACP cited environmental justice concerns for majority-minority Bessemer community. Black Warrior Riverkeeper (BWR) and Southern Environmental Law Center (SELC) opposed construction over fossil fuel and water impacts. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service raised concerns. Rezoning lawsuit filed in Jefferson County Circuit Court (temporarily enjoined; later dismissed). Bessemer City Council approved initial rezoning 5-2 in November 2025 despite crowd opposition (Councilman King and Councilwoman Thigpen dissented). 914-acre expansion rezoning approved April 2026. Some elected officials operated under NDAs with the developer prior to QTS confirmation. Homeowners filed additional lawsuits against the project.

Bessemer Residents Are Speaking Out Against AI Data Center Development

Status history

  1. Proposed

    Project Marvel first surfaced March 2025; unnamed developer (via Logistics Land Investment LLC, an affiliate of Atlanta-based TPA Group) sought rezoning of ~700 acres in Bessemer for hyperscale data center

    Alabama's planned $14bn Project Marvel data center could double in size
  2. Proposed

    Bessemer City Council voted 5-2 to approve rezoning ~700 acres from agricultural (A-1) to light industrial (I-1) on November 18, 2025; developer identity still not publicly disclosed

    Bessemer City Council approves data center project despite transparency concerns (November 2025)
  3. Proposed

    Bessemer City Council approved rezoning of 914 additional acres in April 2026, expanding total site to ~1,607 acres; 18-building count unchanged, additional land used for wider buffers and layout flexibility

    Bessemer approves rezoning of 914 acres for Project Marvel data center
  4. Proposed

    QTS Data Centers (Blackstone) publicly confirmed as operator behind Project Marvel, July 1-2, 2026; project described as in active planning stage

    QTS confirms plans for proposed data center campus in Bessemer

Location

Sources & data provenance

Reported: data based on credible news outlets or industry sources.

Last updated:

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