The Kraft Group is planning to build a 900-megawatt data center campus in Sutton, Massachusetts, according to local officials. In a memo to the town’s Select Board, Sutton Town Manager Austin Cyganiewicz said the conglomerate, owned by Robert Kraft, was planning the development in partnership with Sutton-based packaging firm Unified Global Packaging Group.
The campus would be located on Unified’s Parkway property, off Boston Road and Providence Road, and initially comprise two buildings. The project is expected to launch in 2029, with each building covering about 250,000 square feet (23,225 square meters) and supporting roughly 90 megawatts of power capacity.
The proposed development is expected to involve an investment of approximately $16 billion, according to Data Center Dynamics.
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At a Select Board meeting on Nov. 10, residents pushed back against the proposed data center. Some reportedly urged the board to stop the project, and one man was removed from the meeting. While some board members called for more information, others said they felt pressured to make a decision ahead of the town’s annual meeting in May.
“It doesn’t seem like when you’re rushed, you make the right decision,” said Select Board member Christine Watkins. “But it seems like it could be a decision we live with forever.”
In social media comments following the meeting, residents raised concerns about potential noise from an operational data center and the possibility of a moratorium on data center development in the town.
Under an executive order issued by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, data centers with proposed capacities exceeding 25 megawatts must receive approval from local communities. Developers must also establish community benefits agreements that meet specific state standards.
The proposal comes amid growing opposition to data center development. According to a recent Pew Research Center survey, more than half of Americans (54%) now say data centers are mostly bad for the environment, up from 39% in January. Half say they are mostly bad for home energy costs, up from 38%, while 49% believe they are mostly bad for the quality of life of people living nearby, up from 30%.
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Anti-data center sentiment also emerged as an issue in the Nov. 3 midterm elections, with several candidates campaigning against large-scale data center projects. Voters also considered several proposed data center moratoria and other restrictive measures.
The Kraft Group is a privately held conglomerate owned by Robert Kraft, who also owns the NFL’s New England Patriots. Its businesses span professional sports, manufacturing and real estate development.