New development at Lancium expected to bring major investment, jobs to Abilene

Posted by Admin November 22, 2024 Jobs

A new data center development at the Lancium Clean Campus is expected to bring a multibillion dollar investment and 100 jobs to the Abilene area, officials said this week.

Crusoe is building 998,000 square feet for a data center to lease to a Fortune 100 tenant in 2025, according to an announcement from the Development Corporation of Abilene, the city and Taylor County.

The Crusoe project is the latest milestone in the Lancium campus’s growth and expansion in Abilene, according to the media release.

“The new development leads the way for further innovation and expanded job and investment opportunities in Abilene and Taylor County, Texas,” Misty Mayo, DCOA president and CEO, said in the media release.

Headquartered in The Woodlands, Lancium is focused on energy technology and infrastructure. The campus in the area near Spinks Road is expected to become home to various industries fueled with low-cost renewable energy.

As owner and master developer of the Clean Campus, Lancium is leasing about 90 acres to Crusoe, a company specializing in data center development.

The combined capital investment for the project is estimated at $3.4 billion, according to media release. The project’s initial phase on the campus is expected to bring an estimated 100 highly skilled jobs.

“Lancium and Crusoe’s projects are representative of the type of work the DCOA prioritizes — working directly with companies to create opportunities for future generations of Abilene families,” Mayo said.

The DCOA assisted with Lancium’s expansion into Abilene and Taylor County in 2021, which involved Lancium annexing over 800 acres into Abilene city limits to become home to the flagship Clean Campus.

Since then, Lancium has been fulfilling the company’s commitment to invest in Abilene and Taylor County, using their capital to build a new 200 megawatt electrical substation for the campus.

“We are very proud to be part of Abilene, and we will continue to partner with the Abilene community as we develop our site,” Michael McNamara, cofounder and CEO of Lancium, said in the media release.

The project combines Lancium’s clean energy expertise with Crusoe’s innovative artificial-intelligence infrastructure to garner maximum benefits for Abilene and the industry, McNamara said.

Working with Lancium for the new development allows Crusoe to push boundaries in sustainability and performance in data center design, Chase Lochmiller, Crusoe’s cofounder and CEO, said.

Abilene Mayor Weldon Hurt and Taylor County Judge Phil Crowley saw benefits for residents from the new development.

“Each company attracted to the City of Abilene builds on this foundation, creating meaningful economic impact and, importantly, opportunity for our residents,” Hurt said in the media release.

Crowley said the Crusoe project is great for Taylor County taxpayers.

“The extra business revenue will boost key emergency services, strengthen our infrastructure, and keep important County programs going that help our residents,” Crowley said in the media release.

Trish Choate is the interim editor for the Wichita Falls Times Record News, San Angelo Standard-Times and Abilene Reporter-News. Contact Trish with news tips at tchoate@gannett.com. Read her recent work here. Her X handle is @Trishapedia.