Southern Ohio Data Center Corridor: Land Investment Guide
Everything you need to know about the emerging tech corridor between Jackson County, Pike County, and Scioto County — and why land values are about to change.
What Is the Southern Ohio Data Center Corridor?
On March 20, 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy announced a public-private partnership to redevelop the former Portsmouth Gaseous Diffusion Plant near Piketon, Ohio as the PORTS Technology Campus — a 10-gigawatt data center campus backed by SoftBank subsidiary SB Energy and utility partner AEP Ohio. (DOE announcement)
This is not a standalone project. Google (via Tilted Gate LLC) is building a separate $1 billion, 500,000 sq ft data center in Franklin Furnace, Scioto County — adjacent to Jackson County. Jackson County itself updated its zoning code in March 2026 specifically for data centers, triggered by active developer interest.
Together, these projects are forming a data center corridor spanning Pike, Scioto, and Jackson counties in southern Ohio — positioned along the Appalachian Highway (State Route 32) and supported by $4.2 billion in new AEP transmission infrastructure.
Key Facts (Verified, Government-Sourced)
- 10 GW target capacity at the PORTS Technology Campus (DOE)
- $33.3 billion in Japanese-funded energy generation (DOE/AP)
- $4.2 billion AEP Ohio transmission buildout funded by SB Energy (AEP)
- 5,642 MW of binding data center load contracts signed with AEP Ohio (AEP Ohio PUCO filing, Feb 2026)
- $1 billion Google data center in adjacent Scioto County (environmental filings, Jan 2026)
- $40 million community benefits pledge for schools and medical (DOE)
- 3,700 acres of federal land leased to SB Energy affiliate (DOE)
- 9.2 GW new gas generation planned across southern Ohio region
- Part of the U.S.-Japan strategic investment framework ($550B bilateral)
Why Land Values Will Change
When Loudoun County, Virginia became America's first data center corridor, agricultural land eventually reached $6 million per acre for entitled parcels. Data center property values increased 78.7% year-over-year in 2025. Data centers now represent 23% of Loudoun County's total tax base. (Source)
Southern Ohio is not Loudoun County — it is earlier, cheaper, and less certain. But the structural pattern is the same: massive infrastructure investment creates demand for housing, services, logistics, and support uses that the existing area cannot provide.
Jackson County issued 33 building permits in all of 2024. There are roughly 200-300 hotel rooms within 30 miles of Piketon. The median home in Jackson County is $150,700. There is virtually zero infrastructure to absorb tens of thousands of incoming workers.
Available: 71.5 Acres at the SR-32/CR-20 Intersection
Five Points Pasture is a 71.5-acre parcel at the corner of State Route 32 (Appalachian Highway) and County Road 20 in Jackson County — 20 minutes from the PORTS Technology Campus. Highway frontage, Spectrum gigabit fiber, 803 feet elevation (138 feet above the PORTS site), and mixed-use potential.
Early bird pricing: $950,000 (increases to $1.3M)