Beaver County Data Center Plans
What do you do with 382 acres of asphalt and racing infrastructure when the cars stop running? In Big Beaver Borough, that question has a proposed answer: build one of the largest data center campuses in Pennsylvania history. Las Vegas-based Switch announced plans in April 2026 to develop the former Pittsburgh International Race Complex into a major data center campus. The site sits on roughly 400 acres near Wampum, approximately 40 miles northwest of Pittsburgh. The Beaver County data center plans have drawn significant community attention, multiple public meetings, and loud voices on both sides of the debate since Switch first announced its intentions.
The Racetrack That Closed and the Land That Sold
The Pittsburgh International Race Complex, widely known as Pitt Racea, closed in November 2025 after more than two decades of operation. The Stout family, which had owned and operated the track for years, announced in October 2025 that they were stepping away from the facility. The final racing events were held in November before the complex permanently stopped operating as a motorsports facility.
The property was sold on March 19, 2026 for $50 million to Wampum I LLC, a company linked to Provident Data Centers. Provident later backed out of the transaction, and Switch ultimately acquired the property for its proposed data center development. This transaction helped set the stage for the current Beaver County data center plans and the debate that followed.
The timing of the property sale and Big Beaver’s zoning changes attracted attention from residents. Members of the former Pitt Race community took notice too. The borough had amended its zoning ordinance to allow data center development under specific conditions. That happened before Switch publicly announced its plans. Some residents later questioned whether the timing of those changes gave developers an advantage.
Who Is Switch and What Are They Building?
Switch is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company was founded by Rob Roy, who holds numerous patents and patent claims related to data center design. Switch operates large data center campuses in several U.S. markets. The Beaver County project would be the company’s first facility in Pennsylvania.
The proposed campus would use approximately 382 acres of the former Pitt Race property and include three data center buildings totaling about 600,000 square feet of facility space. The overall development area is roughly comparable to 300 football fields. Switch has said the campus would serve customers in industries such as finance, healthcare, higher education, and government. The company has also pointed to the site’s access to major fiber routes as one reason for choosing Beaver County.
Switch’s Closed-Loop Cooling System
One of the most debated aspects of the proposal is how the facility would use water. Switch says it plans to use a closed-loop cooling system that recycles water used to cool servers and GPUs. The company has described the system as a way to reduce water consumption and discharge compared with traditional cooling methods.
Water usage remains one of the major concerns raised by residents, particularly because modern data centers can require substantial resources to operate. Switch has said its proposed cooling approach is designed to limit those demands. The company has also discussed monitoring water around the property after significant rain events.
Natalie Stewart Mitchell, Switch’s SVP of Government Affairs and Campus Development, described the company’s approach at a June 2026 town hall: “Beaver County helped build America’s industrial foundation, and this campus represents a new chapter for the Borough of Big Beaver. Switch plans to serve as a long-term partner to Beaver County by investing in infrastructure and supporting local initiatives to stimulate the local economy and benefit the community.”
The Timeline: From Announcement to Application
Switch announced its Beaver County data center plans publicly on April 30, 2026. At that point, no formal application had been submitted to Big Beaver Borough. Through May and early June 2026, the borough confirmed it had only had administrative discussions with Switch about the review process. No formal development application had yet been filed for borough council review.
Community meetings began filling up quickly. Switch held a town hall at the Big Beaver Borough Fire Hall in early June 2026. The turnout exceeded the building’s capacity, with some residents unable to get inside and others watching the meeting from outside. The event generated significant local attention and gave residents an opportunity to question Switch representatives about the proposal.
Residents raised concerns about noise, water use, environmental effects, electricity demand, and the way the project had been communicated to the community.
The August 2026 Formal Submission
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported in August 2026 that Switch had formally submitted plans for the data center campus. Big Beaver Borough made the application documents publicly available, giving officials and residents more details about the proposed development.
Beaver County Solicitor Garen Fedeles confirmed at a Commissioners’ work session that Switch had submitted an application to the county planning commission for review. That review will then provide recommendations to Big Beaver Borough for the next stage of the approval process.
Fedeles noted that the county planning commission’s review under the municipal planning code does not specifically evaluate every concern raised about water usage and electricity consumption. Those issues may involve additional regulatory and permitting processes beyond the county planning review.
What Residents and Community Groups Are Saying
The community response to the Beaver County data center plans has been vocal and organized. Amanda Popik, a Big Beaver resident, told Channel 11: “Practically no one has said that they support, strongly or even moderately, a data center in our area.” Another resident told Beaver County Radio that his concern involved “the overall shadiness with the borough,” including questions about how residents were informed about the project.
The Big Beaver Association and the Three Rivers Motorsport Preservation Society organized their own independent town hall. In late June 2026, it drew nearly 100 residents to the Big Beaver Volunteer Fire Department. The meeting brought in environmental, legal, and legislative experts. This meeting gave residents additional information about data centers and the potential effects of the proposed project.
Dennehy-Rodriguez, who helped organize the event, said the goal was to give residents an opportunity to understand what a data center could mean for the community and how they could participate in the approval process.
What Switch Has Promised the Community
Switch representatives have described potential community benefits at various public appearances. Mitchell stated that the facility could add millions of dollars to borough, county, and state tax rolls at full build-out. The company has described the total investment as approximately $1.4 billion.
Switch estimates that construction could require between 1,500 and 2,000 skilled labor positions. Once the campus is fully operational, the company expects approximately 80 to 100 permanent full-time jobs. These figures are Switch’s projections rather than independently verified employment totals.
Switch has also discussed community programs at its other campuses, including support for police and fire departments, STEAM education, trade programs, and apprenticeships. The company has said it plans to work with the local community and has discussed potential community benefits.
Mitchell also acknowledged a gap between construction and the project’s full economic benefits. That hasn’t eased residents’ skepticism, though. Many remain concerned about how the development was introduced to the borough.
Switch Is Not the Only Data Center Eyeing Beaver County
The Beaver County data center plans connected to Switch are part of a bigger trend. Other developers, including Aligned Data Centers in Shippingport, are exploring similar projects in the region.
Several factors may help explain that interest. Beaver County has large parcels of available land, access to regional fiber networks, and existing energy infrastructure. The region’s industrial history and location near Pittsburgh also provide an established transportation and utility network.
The Beaver Valley nuclear plant story adds important context here. The county’s existing energy infrastructure is one factor that could make the area attractive to large electricity users such as data centers.
What the Data Center Debate Means for Beaver County’s Housing Market
Large-scale industrial and technology investment can affect housing markets in several ways. Construction projects of this size require temporary workers and contractors, many of whom may look for housing within a reasonable commuting distance. Once a facility is operating, permanent employees may also create additional demand for housing and local services.
The Beaver County economic growth story has been building across several investment types, from energy and technology projects to manufacturing expansion. Mitsubishi Electric’s $86 million factory in New Galilee is another example of outside investment reaching the county.
Taken together, these projects point to a region attracting new capital and industrial development. The Switch proposal adds another major project to that trend, although its eventual effect on housing demand will depend on whether the campus receives approval and how quickly construction moves forward.
The broader regional pattern of data center investment affecting electricity demand, development, and property markets is also becoming part of the conversation across western Pennsylvania. The Washington County data center boom provides another example of how large technology and energy projects can become connected to local real estate markets.
What Comes Next in the Approval Process
The formal application submission in August 2026 marks the beginning of a multi-stage public review process, not the end of the debate. The county planning commission must review the application and provide its recommendations. Big Beaver Borough will then have its own role in reviewing the project under applicable borough ordinances and regulations.
Public hearings and additional meetings may give residents more chances to comment. Community organizations, environmental advocates, and other interested parties can weigh in too.
The Three Rivers Motorsport Preservation Society continues to advocate for preserving the property’s racing legacy. However, Switch’s current plans do not include continued motorsport use.
Environmental and community advocates have also raised broader questions about multiple data centers in Beaver County. They’re concerned about the cumulative effect on infrastructure, electricity demand, water resources, and surrounding communities.
Switch has not disclosed a firm construction start date or a final timeline for full operation. Given the size of the proposed campus and the number of regulatory steps involved, the project is likely to remain a major local issue as the review process moves forward.
FAQs
What are Switch’s Beaver County data center plans?
Switch plans to develop a major data center campus on the former Pittsburgh International Race Complex property in Big Beaver Borough. The proposed project would use roughly 382 acres and include three data center buildings totaling approximately 600,000 square feet. Switch formally submitted plans in August 2026, beginning the official review process.
How many jobs will the Switch data center create?
Switch estimates that construction could require 1,500 to 2,000 skilled labor positions. Once the campus is fully operational, the company projects approximately 80 to 100 permanent full-time jobs. Switch has also said the project could generate millions of dollars in tax revenue for local and state governments.
Why are Big Beaver residents opposing the project?
Residents have raised concerns about noise, water use, environmental effects, electricity demand, and how the project was communicated to the community. Local groups have also organized independent meetings to help residents understand data center development and participate in the approval process.
What is Switch’s closed-loop cooling system?
Switch says its proposed cooling system would recycle water used during the cooling process rather than relying entirely on a traditional water-intensive approach. The company has presented the closed-loop design as a way to reduce water consumption and discharge from the campus.
Is Switch the only data center company looking at Beaver County?
No. Aligned Data Centers is also developing a major project in Shippingport, while other developers have explored data center opportunities in the county. Beaver County’s available land, fiber access, energy infrastructure, and location near Pittsburgh have helped attract interest from data center developers.
Conclusion
The Beaver County plans could bring major investment, construction jobs, and new tax revenue to Big Beaver Borough. But the project also raises questions about water, electricity, noise, and its impact on the community.
Switch’s August application has started the formal review process, meaning the final outcome is still ahead. As officials and residents consider the proposal, the former Pitt Race property could become an important part of Beaver County’s next phase of economic development.
For property owners watching these changes, the growing investment in the region could also affect local real estate. If you own property in Beaver County or the Pittsburgh area and want to understand your options, Buys Houses can help. Make sure to check Buys Houses Pittsburgh for a fair offer on your timeline.