Amazon is planning to invest $10 billion in a new cloud computing and artificial intelligence innovation campus just east of Charlotte, N.C.
The site is in Richmond County, in south-central North Carolina, and the campus will feature computer servers, data storage and networking equipment all focused on powering cloud computing capabilities and generative AI technologies, according to Amazon.
Although the investment marks one of the largest single capital investments in North Carolina’s history, details on the campus and its planned buildings were initially very sparse, and an Amazon spokesperson was unable to provide further information.
Spokespeople for the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina and for Richmond County, however, provided much additional information.
The site is the Energy Way Industrial Park, on Airport Road in Hamlet, N.C., adjacent to the Smith Duke Energy Complex. The park was described in a summer 2024 report from the EDPNC as privately owned and totaling 672 acres, 432 of that being contiguous. The Amazon site, however, is described as more than 700 acres, evidently including parcels beyond Energy Way.
Reportedly there will be a minimum of 20 buildings in the Amazon campus, though this is still being fine-tuned. Engineering, planning and design consultant Kimley Horn has design layout work underway.
READ ALSO: Data Center Industry’s Remarkable Momentum
In addition to Amazon, Richmond County and Duke Energy are the main players in this project. In particular, Duke Energy has been working with the county on improving the site for years, completing a site readiness program there in 2019.
On-site electric service is provided by Duke Energy 115 and 500 kV lines and a Pee Dee Electric 25 kV line, and the park is also serviced by a Duke Energy natural gas plant.
According to the EDPNC report, the property is 3 miles from an I-74 interchange and one mile from a CSX main line.
Busy everywhere
Amazon has had a hand in multiple recent commercial real estate deals across the country.
Just last month, the company acquired a struggling Midtown Manhattan office property from RFR Realty for an undisclosed price. The 23-story, 595,430-square-foot building at 522 Fifth Ave. was vacant and had been in foreclosure.
In April, Amazon announced that it was seeking proposals from capital partners to fund up to $15 billion for warehouse and distribution sites in both urban and rural areas.
And in January, Amazon leased 50,333 square feet of office space at Wynwood Plaza in Miami. The deal reportedly was the largest office lease ever in the Wynwood submarket.
