Data Center Firms Scale Alabama Projects and Spending
New data center investments and political contributions signal accelerating infrastructure development across Alabama.
Updated on Oct. 15, 2026 in Data Centers
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Applied Digital Corp. and DC Blox have reported significant political contributions alongside major infrastructure expansion plans in Alabama. These financial filings reflect the companies' growing footprint in the state as they develop large-scale data center facilities.
Why it matters
Data center operators are scaling capital expenditure and infrastructure in the state, signaling a strategic focus on regional AI and cloud capacity. These political contributions underscore the industry's alignment with local policy environments as expansion projects move forward.
DC Blox plans a $785 million investment in its Birmingham site, targeting 60 megawatts of power capacity and 263,000 square feet. This expansion follows the company's $2.5 million purchase of a former Birmingham factory.
The players
Applied Digital Corp.
A developer of next-generation data centers focused on high-performance computing infrastructure for AI and cloud services.
DC Blox
A regional operator building interconnected data center facilities across the Southeast with a focus on cloud and edge computing.
The details
Data centers serve as the physical backbone for AI and cloud computing, requiring massive electrical power to cool and operate thousands of servers. DC Blox is constructing facilities across Huntsville, Birmingham, and Montgomery, while Applied Digital Corp. has announced the Delta Forge 2 project, a $3.2 billion investment in Alabama. These facilities require specialized industrial sites and high-capacity connections to the electrical grid to handle the intense processing load of current AI hardware.
Timeline
December 2020: DC Blox contributed $500 to Progress PAC.
May 4, 2026: Applied Digital Corp. contributed $100,000 to Republican Forward.
July 2026: DC Blox purchased a Birmingham factory property for $2.5 million.
August 2026: Applied Digital Corp. contributed $25,000 to a gubernatorial campaign.
October 6, 2026: DC Blox contributed $25,000 to North Alabama PAC.
The Tech Race
These Alabama projects follow the industry trend of massive investments in secondary-market data center capacity to satisfy surging AI power demands. The scale of these builds positions both companies to compete for regional cloud infrastructure dominance against major national incumbents.
The expansion of these facilities will lead to significant industrial construction and site development in Birmingham, Huntsville, and Montgomery. While specific timelines for operation remain projected through 2029, the local commercial real estate and industrial power sectors are primary participants.
The takeaway
These investments represent a significant scaling of Alabama's role in the national AI infrastructure footprint. Watch for the completion of the 60-megawatt Birmingham site as a primary benchmark for DC Blox's regional expansion capacity.
Further reading
For broader trends in infrastructure growth, visit Data Centers.
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