Amazon Withdraws 800,000 Sq Ft Data Center Plan at GW's Virginia Campus in Deal with Loudoun County

Amazon has agreed to abandon its plan to build 800,000 square feet of data centers on George Washington University's Virginia Science and Technology Campus, settling a months-long dispute with Loudoun County officials that had drawn mounting opposition from local residents and students. The agreement, announced Tuesday by Board of Supervisors Chair Phyllis Randall at a press conference alongside Amazon Web Services Vice President for Data Center Delivery Josh Weissman, was dubbed "Project Potomac Promise."

The dispute began after GW sold the VSTC campus to Amazon in February for $427 million, roughly $3.5 million an acre, as the university sought to capitalize on rising land prices in a county that has become the "data center capital of the world." Amazon subsequently filed an application this summer detailing plans for the "Bridgefield Tech Center," an 800,000-square-foot data center facility. The proposal drew immediate backlash, with District Supervisor Juli Briskman vowing to fight it "every step of the way" and residents circulating a petition calling for a moratorium on data center construction, citing natural resource consumption, traffic, noise and pollution concerns. GW students also organized opposition, with campus groups posting social media videos criticizing the university for not involving the community in the sale decision.

Under the agreement, Amazon will donate 25 acres of land valued at $65 million to Loudoun County for a community arts center and indoor sports facility, commit to rezoning the remaining land for mixed-use and residential development, and contribute $5 million to the county's Housing Fund. The property will be rezoned into a district that does not permit data center construction even by special exception. "Through our collaborative, respectful conversations, Amazon has agreed to forego its proposed application for data centers and, of note, forego any legal action to realize data center development on this site," Randall said at the press conference. Weissman said the company "deeply" values its relationship with Loudoun County and chose to "come together" on a shared vision rather than engage in litigation. Randall added in a Facebook post that the deal "reflects the hard work that can only happen when stakeholders respect one another enough to come to the table."

The agreement marks a significant moment for Loudoun County, which has the highest concentration of data centers in the world with 54 million square feet already built. As of July 2026, Northern Virginia contained 266 operational data centers with 23 under construction and 99 planned. County Zoning Administrator Teresa Miller had determined earlier this month that data centers were not permitted as a primary use on the VSTC property, requiring Amazon to obtain additional county approval. The resolution comes as the Board of Supervisors was set to consider a separate proposal to temporarily halt new data center projects, which officials deferred to a November meeting. Randall said the county and Amazon reached a deal instead of choosing "reflexive disagreement," positioning the agreement as a model for how local governments can continue "aggressively and decisively" curbing data center development while accommodating industry growth. GW spokesperson Shannon McClendon said the new development plans do not affect the university or the transaction, and GW will remain on the Virginia property for up to five years as it relocates programs including the School of Nursing.