Nebius' Strategy for its Gigawatt-Scale Campus in Missouri

The race to build AI infrastructure in the US has reached another milestone, with Nebius breaking ground on a new gigawatt-scale AI factory campus in Independence, Missouri.

The Nasdaq-listed AI cloud company says the development will become its flagship US digital infrastructure project, spanning around 400 acres and designed to support large-scale AI workloads. Construction on the first phase is now underway.

The project reflects a growing demand for hyperscale-ready facilities capable of handling the power, cooling and compute requirements associated with generative AI and advanced machine learning.

Nebius already operates in the Kansas City area and sees the Independence development as a major step in expanding its US footprint.

“Projects like this are built for the long term, and we are committed to developing this facility in a way that directly benefits Independence,” says Nebius' Board Chairman, John Boynton.

“We want to create lasting opportunities, act as a good partner with the community, and set a standard for developing AI and digital infrastructure responsibly.”

The company says the campus has been designed with measures intended to minimise local impact during both construction and operations, including efforts to reduce water consumption, limit noise and light pollution and protect ratepayers.

AI infrastructure demand accelerates

The scale of the development underlines how AI is reshaping the data centre sector, particularly in the US where operators and technology companies are rapidly investing in high-density compute infrastructure.

Nebius’s facility is expected to support the growing demand for AI factories, purpose-built campuses optimised for accelerated computing environments.

NVIDIA, which is supporting the project, framed the development as part of a wider national infrastructure push tied to AI growth.

Ned Finkle, NVIDIA Vice President of External Affairs, says: "Artificial intelligence is driving the largest infrastructure buildout in history - and that buildout must be rooted here in the United States.

"This Nebius campus will create thousands of jobs, strengthen American supply chains, and build the AI factories that will power the next era of computing.

"NVIDIA is proud to stand with Nebius and the State of Missouri as we build the future of AI in American communities, with American workers."

The project also reflects increasing competition between US states seeking to attract data centre and AI infrastructure investment through available land and economic incentives.

Economic impact and workforce plans

According to Nebius, the campus is expected to create around 1,200 construction jobs, primarily through local union building trades, alongside 130 permanent high-tech roles once the site reaches full operation.

The company estimates the development will generate approximately US$650m in tax payments to local school districts and other taxing jurisdictions over the next two decades.

Missouri officials say the investment strengthens the state’s position in the digital infrastructure market.

“Missouri continues to lead in innovation, infrastructure, and investment, and this facility in Independence is another example of that momentum in action,” says Governor Mike Kehoe.

“This investment from Nebius strengthens Missouri’s position as a national leader in digital infrastructure, while creating quality jobs, supporting local schools and businesses, and generating long-term opportunity.

“We are proud to support investments that keep Missouri competitive and moving forward.”

Alongside the construction programme, Nebius says it has introduced a community benefits plan centred on education initiatives and local investment.

Early measures include funding to eliminate school meal debt at Independence and Ft. Osage School Districts, alongside an agreement with Metropolitan Community College focused on AI literacy and workforce development.