AI boom has put several of the biggest American universities are under ‘physical threat’, George Washington University’s sale of its Virginia campus is an example
AI Demand Competes with University Land Use
The rising demand for data centers driven by Artificial Intelligence (AI) is intensifying competition for land among American universities. Properties equipped with essential utilities such as electricity, water, and fiber infrastructure are becoming increasingly valuable for AI projects. This shift poses a significant challenge for universities that have historically utilized these lands for educational and research purposes. Ellen Scully-Russ, a former professor at George Washington University, characterized this situation as a “physical threat” to the resources available for higher education.
George Washington University’s $427 million campus sale for AI data center
The George Washington (GW) University’s sale of its roughly 120-acre Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn, Virginia, to Amazon Data Services for $427 million is one example of this shift. Amazon Data Services was later identified as the buyer, paying $427 million for the property. The planned facility is expected to require about 50 megawatts of power initially, eventually reaching 100 megawatts, according to a university report.
GW University announced the sale in February but initially did not identify the buyer or disclose the price, citing confidentiality provisions. GW held town halls after the sale was announced to discuss the transition of programmes, faculty and staff from the campus.
“Universities are large landholders, and there is a land grab going on with the data centers these days,” Scully-Russ told Fortune. The campus is located in Loudoun County, part of Northern Virginia’s “Data Center Alley”, a major concentration of data centers. “There was no transparency,” she told Fortune. The Ypsilanti Township Board of Trustees unanimously passed a resolution opposing the proposed computational research facility, “declaring strong and unequivocal opposition.”
“The faculty, the student body, as far as I know, were not even aware that there was a discussion about selling to anybody, let alone to Amazon. Scully-Russ questioned the timing of that consultation. The project has faced opposition from local residents and officials.