Google Project Blackwood Missouri: $2.5B 400MW AI Data Center
Status: Under Construction / Phase 1 Fit-out (March 2026) | Location: Kansas City (Clay County), Missouri
Project Overview
Project Blackwood represents a major expansion of Google’s hyperscale footprint in the central United States, reinforcing the strategic importance of the Kansas City region within the evolving AI infrastructure landscape. As the company’s second large-scale campus in the area complementing its existing presence in the Hunt Midwest Business Center, the project reflects a broader push to decentralize high-performance computing capacity beyond traditional coastal hubs. Initially announced in 2024 and reaching peak construction activity in March 2026, the $2.5 billion development capitalizes on Missouri’s central geographic positioning and the dense, high-capacity fiber networks surrounding Kansas City International Airport, enabling efficient, low-latency connectivity across North America.
From a technical standpoint, Project Blackwood is engineered to support Google’s next-generation TPU v6 Ironwood clusters, purpose-built for large-scale, low-latency AI inference workloads. This positions the campus as a critical node in Google’s distributed AI compute fabric, optimized for real-time applications such as generative AI services, search augmentation, and enterprise AI deployments. The infrastructure is expected to play a key role in reducing latency for mid-continent users while enhancing redundancy and geographic diversity across Google’s global network.
To secure local approval and community alignment, Google negotiated a 25-year property tax abatement, balanced by targeted investments in regional education and workforce development. These include a $1.5 million direct contribution to the Smithville School District and $250,000 allocated to the Northland Career Center, supporting technical training pathways aligned with data center operations and digital infrastructure careers.
Quick Facts
| Field | Value |
|---|
| Project Name | Google Project Blackwood Missouri: $2.5B 400MW AI Data Center |
| Location | Kansas City (Clay County), Missouri |
| Status | Under Construction / Phase 1 Fit-out (March 2026) |
| Commissioning | Phase 1 (100MW) Online: Q4 2026; Full Scale: 2029 |
| Total IT Load | ~400–500 MW (Aggregated campus capacity) |
| Total Capacity | 6 New Data Center Buildings spanning 2.5 Million Sq. Ft. |
| Tier Level | Tier IV (Mission-Critical AI Infrastructure) |
| Project Type | Hyperscale AI Training & Sovereign Cloud Hub |
City Profile
| Header | Details |
|---|
| City Name | Kansas |
| Population | ~197,000 (Kansas City, Kansas) |
| Urban Agglomeration | ~2.2 million (Kansas City Metropolitan Area) |
| City GDP | ~$150–170 billion (Kansas City Metro) |
| Per Capita Income | ~$55,000 |
| City Tier | Tier 2 (Emerging U.S. Tech & Logistics Hub) |
| Key Strengths | Central U.S. location, strong logistics and transportation network, growing data center market, affordable land and power, skilled workforce |
Companies Involved
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Developer / Operator | Google |
| Strategic Infrastructure Partner | Evergy (Power) / Kansas City Economic Development Council. |
| Construction Contractor | Clayco (Lead) / Over 1,500 trade workers at peak. |
| MEP Engineering | Google Global Data Center Engineering. |
| Network Connectivity | Ultra-low latency link to Google’s Council Bluffs and Pryor hubs. |
| Power Infrastructure | 500 MW dedicated substation; 24/7 CFE wind matching. |
Technical Specifications
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Power Capacity | 400 MW (Target IT Load) |
| UPS Redundancy | $N+2$ with localized battery energy storage systems (BESS). |
| Cooling System | Closed-loop liquid cooling (optimized for water conservation). |
| Connectivity | Central U.S. node for Gemini Pro and Vertex AI workflows. |
| PUE Target | < 1.10 |
| Energy Mix | Transitioning to 100% Carbon-Free via local wind farm PPAs. |
Milestones
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Announcement | March 2024 (Initial Project Spade/Blackwood Reveal) |
| Construction Start | Early 2025 |
| Phase 1 Go-Live | Expected Late 2026 |
| Full Buildout | 2029 |
Investment Details
| Header | Details |
|---|
| Total Investment | $2.5 Billion |
| Funding | Alphabet Inc. Capital Expenditure. |