In the latest step in its expansion beyond colocation, Evoque has formed a joint venture with Archer Datacenters to create a 100-megawatt data center campus in Gallatin, Tennessee, adjacent to a new Meta campus. Evoque expects to invest $200 million in the project, which will offer 500,000 square feet of data center space to meet the growing data center demands of the United States’ Central Southeast region.
Evoque recently outlined plans to expand into hyperscale computing, offering built-to-suit data centers backed by green energy, which could include on-site renewable power. The initiative taps the substantial resources of Evoque’s backers, Brookfield Infrastructure Partners (BIP), whose global investment portfolio includes renewable energy companies and a large real estate portfolio.
“The opportunity to expand into the Nashville market and to serve hyperscalers, cloud service providers, and large enterprises is exciting,” said Evoque Chief Executive Officer Andy Stewart. “Archer, and their founder Jordan Milman had great vision that has since been validated by Meta’s new data center, which is adjacent to our location. Evoque looks forward to maximizing the potential of this opportunity and to deliver more best-in-breed digital infrastructure solutions to more enterprises.”
The entry into the hyperscale market is an expansion of Evoque’s business model, which has focused on colocation services and cloud consulting. The company was formed by Brookfield in late 2018 after it acquired a portfolio of data centers from AT&T for $1.1 billion.
Gallatin is approximately 35 miles from Downtown Nashville. The project is anchored by an existing 82,000 square foot data center shell on a 28-acre property, with over 40 MW of available power today from A Gallatin Department of Electricity (GDE) substation. Evoque plans a 4-phase development, which can expand onto an adjacent 32-acre parcel. The campus could reach more than 100MW at full buildout through updated transmission capacity of GDE and Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA).
Archer acquired the site in 2018 and built the powered shell. Archer has worked with the TVA to structure renewable energy solutions, including solar renewable investment agreements. Evoque’s parent company Brookfield has a substantial portfolio of renewable energy assets (including within the TVA’s jurisdiction) and the company says it “has committed to building a 100% renewable energy solution … and has the expertise and resources to deliver a green power solution to meet the growing demand for renewable energy in the data center industry.”
“With their commitment to operational excellence, sustainable energy capabilities, and forward-thinking leadership, we view Evoque as the ideal partner to help to realize our vision for the premier data center campus in the greater Nashville region,” said Jordan Milman, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Archer Datacenters. “We look forward to continuing to champion this location alongside Evoque to create an attractive solution for both hyperscale and enterprise customers looking to scale in one of the most dynamic markets in the country.”
