ABOUT
The Mooresville Technology Park
The Mooresville Technology Park will be a master-planned data center campus. Data centers are the critical infrastructure of our modern world, powering the internet and providing a foundation for our digital world. Led by a team of technology and development experts at Tract, the campus will be thoughtfully designed and planned to maximize economic benefits for the community with minimal impact.
DATA CENTERS
in Our Daily Lives
Data centers are the vital engine running our nation’s digital technology needs by storing and managing vast amounts of data needed for various operations across sectors such as telehealth, video conferencing, e-commerce, government services, education, and entertainment.
Every facet of daily life including healthcare and financial records, online streaming and shopping, as well as GPS routing and maps, run through a data center. Each time you pick up your phone to search the internet, send a message to family and friends, or scroll through social media, you are using a data center. Once completed, the data center at the Mooresville Technology Park will play a key role in supporting the Southeast’s digital needs.
WHY MOORESVILLE?
The Southeast is a rapidly growing area of our country with increasing online digital needs. Additional data centers are necessary to keep up with demand. The proposed Mooresville Technology Park is an ideal site for a vital data center as it is both centrally located in North Carolina and near existing Duke Energy transmission lines capable of serving a high-tech facility.
The Facts
Data center parks are one of the most ideal projects for communities because they generate tremendous economic benefits for the area with very little impact on daily lives. Schools, emergency services, community facilities, and infrastructure will benefit from a new source of tax revenue and residents will have new job opportunities with high-paying salaries (~ $100k / year) right here in Mooresville.
Ultimately, data centers produce far less traffic and have less impact on community resources (i.e., schools, parks, first responders) than residential or industrial development. Instead, they bring benefits to these resources, producing a high economic return while meeting the demand for data centers in the Southeast.
The site is ideally suited for a data center campus due to the large power transmission lines that traverse the site. Locating data centers in close proximity to existing power transmission lines minimizes the need to extend new lines and secure additional utility easements to reach the site. The site is planned for one substation to serve the data centers. Power from the substation is planned only to serve the data centers and is not planned for other regional power demands. Costs for all on-site power infrastructure will be paid for by the Developer. Duke Energy has the capacity to serve the power demand anticipated for this campus. At this time, additional ROW is not needed for new transmission lines nor upgrades.
The first building is expected to be operational by 2029, marking the completion of the first phase of development. Leading up to 2029, Tract will design and install the water and wastewater infrastructure to serve the site and prepare the site for development. Before development can occur on the site, a site plan must be approved along with a building permit. It will take approximately one year to go through this design and permitting process. The additional phases of development are anticipated to be completed by 2032.
Data centers are quiet compared to many other light industrial uses. Future buildings will be designed to ensure that local and state noise levels will not be exceeded. It is incredibly costly (tens of millions) to retrofit a data center building if noise standards are not met. Data center buildings and the associated mechanical equipment are designed to include integrated noise attenuation measures which result in any external sound being barely audible. The site is planned with a 100-foot buffer and 150-foot minimum building setback. Homes on the surrounding properties are at a minimum of 320-feet from the closest building setback line. These distances along with the intervening tree canopy will further act to mitigate noise from the campus. The rezoning and concept plan applications include a condition that the end-user submit a noise study as a part of the site plan and / or building permit process to ensure noise levels will not be exceeded and to ensure adequate attenuation measures.
The land is currently zoned in a manner that would allow for residential development, and it is projected that the site could be developed with at least 400 homes. This would have a significantly larger impact on the community, especially in terms of increased traffic. Tract only plans to put a data center campus on the land, leaving a large amount of the acreage undeveloped to create large barriers between the park and neighbors.
No. In North Carolina, only voluntary annexations are allowed. The property owner would have to request to be annexed into the Town and go through the appropriate process.
Data center developers prioritize water efficiency and sustainability in their operations. They employ technologies such as advanced cooling systems, water recycling, and efficient landscaping practices to minimize water consumption and environmental impact. The water use will be dependent on the cooling technologies determined through the building design process. The project will connect to the municipal water and sewer infrastructure. Design and construction, along with the ultimate water demands, will follow all required permitting processes. Tract will be investing in the water and sewer infrastructure improvements required to serve the site.
No, taxpayers will not be responsible for any costs of developing the site. Tract and the end-user will handle all costs associated with developing the site.
No. To protect Rustic Road’s natural features and character, the 53 acres of land at the end of Rustic Road are designated as “Preservation Area” on the Concept Plan and will not be used for development. Access to the developable areas of the data center campus will not utilize Rustic Rd.
COMMUNITY BENEFITS
JOBS
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Numerous skilled labor jobs from almost all trades.
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Once operational, 195 full-time jobs - average salary $100,000/yr.
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Some jobs only require a high-school diploma or associate's degree, providing a great opportunity for career growth.
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1 direct data center job can generate 6+ indirect jobs that support the local economy.
TAX REVENUE
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Hundreds of millions of tax revenue for the Town of Mooresville, Iredell County, and the local school district over a 20-year period.
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Local communities could use this money to support a wide variety of needs such as education, emergency services, infrastructure, and more.
A GOOD NEIGHBOR
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Minimal traffic and a low-profile presence in the community.
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A partner supporting local non-profits and community needs.
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Protecting land around Rustic Road from development.
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Keeping natural buffers and setbacks to blend in.
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Planning with care.
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Ensuring noise does not exceed local ordinances.
DO DATA CENTERS MAKE GOOD NEIGHBORS?
YES! Modern data centers are good neighbors, with limited traffic, wide buffers to blend into the community, and advanced technology minimizing their presence in the community.
