Agreement on 'Project Potomac Promise' Reached with Loudoun County; 25 Acres Donated to County
Arts Center and Gymnasium to be Built... Remaining Land Rezoned as Mixed-Use for Residential and Commercial
Amazon has abruptly scrapped its plans to construct a large-scale data center on the George Washington University (GWU) campus site in Ashburn, Loudoun County, Virginia. Following strong pushback from residents and ongoing conflict with the county government, Amazon pivoted from the data center to developing cultural and athletic facilities, as well as a residential community, for the local area.
The Loudoun County government and Amazon officially announced the "Project Potomac Promise" agreement containing these key details on the 21st.
Under the agreement, Amazon will donate 25 acres (valued at approximately $65 million) to Loudoun County out of the 122-acre GWU Science and Technology Campus site, which it purchased in March for $427 million. The county plans to build an indoor sports arena and a community arts center for local residents on the donated land. The area will be designated as a restricted zone where data centers and related infrastructure cannot be built, even through special exceptions.
For the remaining land, Amazon plans to pursue rezoning into a mixed-use development featuring attainable and market-rate housing to help alleviate the county's housing shortage. Additionally, Amazon will contribute $5 million to the county's housing fund.
The agreement is being hailed as the result of choosing dialogue over confrontation. When Amazon originally submitted an application to build four data center buildings on the GWU site, local residents and the County Board of Supervisors expressed fierce opposition, stating that "the entire area is turning into a gravel pit of concrete," and were prepared to take legal action.
As tensions escalated, Phyllis Randall, Chair of the Loudoun County Board of Supervisors, met directly with senior Amazon officials in late September to seek a compromise.
Josh Weisman, Vice President of Data Center Capacity Delivery at Amazon, explained the background of the discussions, saying, "We determined that working together toward a shared vision was the best outcome, rather than escalating into a costly legal dispute such as litigation. Amazon has partnered with Loudoun County for more than 20 years, and currently over 3,400 employees live here."
Chair Randall also welcomed Amazon's decision, stating, "Through honest, face-to-face dialogue, we were able to turn a challenge into an opportunity."
However, hurdles remain in the concrete implementation process. While the Board of Supervisors voted to fast-track Amazon's rezoning proposal, some supervisors remain cautious.
Supervisor Kristen Umstattd cast the sole dissenting vote, remarking, "Developing residential neighborhoods can generate more costs for public services like roads and schools than the tax revenue they bring in." Other supervisors, including Michael Turner, also stressed that rigorous review processes, such as environmental impact assessments and traffic studies, must be carried out thoroughly.
Meanwhile, in addition to this project, Amazon plans to invest more than $1 billion over the next five years in education, workforce training, and water stewardship projects in communities hosting its data centers. As part of this initiative, Loudoun County will participate in Amazon's workforce education support program, "Built Together," starting in 2027, which will support community college tuition for students in key fields such as electrical, healthcare, and education.