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Can SpaceX's Colossus Data Center Buildout be Replicated?

SpaceX, the aerospace and rocket manufacturer that acquired xAI in early 2026, has surprised the business and technical communities by quickly rolling out a cluster of AI-native data centers in Memphis, Tenn.

Colossus 1 was built in a refurbished Electrolux oven factory that closed in 2022 with a nominal 8 megawatts of interconnect capacity. The site was zoned for heavy industrial use and had a live substation, a 16-inch gas main, a 20-inch water main and a wastewater treatment plant next door. These amenities alone might normally take years to permit and build from scratch, making actual construction of the facility itself a secondary consideration.

Those types of unused sites exist elsewhere and have increased in value. "There are still a number of older facilities that could potentially replicate the Colossus model," said Tim Comerford, senior vice president at site selection firm Biggins Lacy Shapiro & Co. "The challenge is finding sites that have the right combination of existing infrastructure, available power and the ability to secure the necessary permits. The scarcity of sites that check all those boxes has certainly increased their value."

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Timothy R. Comerford

Senior Vice President

Tim Comerford leads a specially-designed interdisciplinary practice focused on assisting companies, developers, municipalities, and real estate advisors with issues that pertain to energy procurement, renewable installation, infrastructure assessments, and utility relocation, with a special focus on mission-critical facilities.

Source:
TechTarget
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