Mara Acquires 1,200-Acre Texas Site from HIF USA for Up to 2GW Data Center Campus

Cryptocurrency and AI data center developer Mara has signed a definitive agreement to acquire a large powered land site in Matagorda County, Texas, from e-fuel company HIF USA. The transaction marks a significant expansion of Mara’s development pipeline as it pivots toward large-scale digital infrastructure for high-performance computing workloads.

The site, located approximately 90 miles (144 km) from Houston, spans more than 1,200 acres and is expected to provide access to up to 1GW of grid capacity initially by October 2027, with the potential to scale to 2GW by April 2028. Mara noted that the property is well-suited for a major data center campus and has already attracted interest from potential tenants in the high-performance computing (HPC) sector.

Mara intends to develop the site in partnership with Starwood Digital Ventures into a large-scale digital infrastructure campus capable of supporting HPC workloads, flexible compute, and Bitcoin mining. The two firms originally partnered in February as part of a joint venture aimed at delivering up to 1GW of near-term IT capacity. Phased construction at the Matagorda County site is expected to begin later this year, subject to regulatory approvals.

“As demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow, we believe sites with access to reliable, scalable power will become increasingly valuable,” said Fred Thiel, Mara’s chairman and CEO. “This acquisition meaningfully expands our long-term development pipeline and strengthens our ability to support high-performance compute and maximize the value of that power over time. We look forward to working with our partners at the site to deliver on the project buildout and drive long-term value for all our stakeholders.”

Mara, one of the largest Bitcoin miners in the United States, has historically focused on utilizing stranded energy assets to power modular mining units. However, the company has been steadily shifting toward large-scale data center developments. In April, the firm agreed to acquire a 505MW combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant in Hannibal, Ohio, which includes more than 1,600 acres of land capable of hosting a large-scale data center campus. That deal signaled Mara’s broader strategic move into digital infrastructure. The company also expanded a gas-to-power data center initiative with NGON from 25MW to 50MW in North Dakota, completing the buildout in four months and achieving full energization and operational status as of December.

The Matagorda County acquisition underscores a broader industry trend: as AI and HPC workloads drive unprecedented demand for compute capacity, access to shovel-ready, powered land is becoming a critical competitive advantage. Developers like Mara are racing to secure large tracts with scalable grid interconnection to meet the needs of hyperscale and enterprise tenants.