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Data center campus · Faribault, 15339 Acorn Trail, south of 150th St. W and east of I-35, Rice County, Minnesota

Archer Datacenters Faribault Campus

Proposed as of July 17, 2026

Archer Datacenters plans up to 500,000 sq ft of data center buildings on about 84 acres north of Faribault; a 2026 appeals ruling sent the city's environmental review back for more work.

Cite← Minnesota data centers
Aitkin CountyAnoka CountyBecker CountyBeltrami CountyBenton CountyBig Stone CountyBlue Earth CountyBrown CountyCarlton CountyCarver CountyCass CountyChippewa CountyChisago CountyClay CountyClearwater CountyCook CountyCottonwood CountyCrow Wing CountyDakota CountyDodge CountyDouglas CountyFaribault CountyFillmore CountyFreeborn CountyGoodhue CountyGrant CountyHennepin CountyHouston CountyHubbard CountyIsanti CountyItasca CountyJackson CountyKanabec CountyKandiyohi CountyKittson CountyKoochiching CountyLac qui Parle CountyLake CountyLake of the Woods CountyLe Sueur CountyLincoln CountyLyon CountyMahnomen CountyMarshall CountyMartin CountyMcLeod CountyMeeker CountyMille Lacs CountyMorrison CountyMower CountyMurray CountyNicollet CountyNobles CountyNorman CountyOlmsted CountyOtter Tail CountyPennington CountyPine CountyPipestone CountyPolk CountyPope CountyRamsey CountyRed Lake CountyRedwood CountyRenville CountyRice CountyRock CountyRoseau CountyScott CountySherburne CountySibley CountySt. Louis CountyStearns CountySteele CountyStevens CountySwift CountyTodd CountyTraverse CountyWabasha CountyWadena CountyWaseca CountyWashington CountyWatonwan CountyWilkin CountyWinona CountyWright CountyYellow Medicine CountyArcher Datacenters Faribault Campus · Proposed · 120 MW
Power120MW reported · stated
Floor area500,000sq ft
Site84.3acres

Who is behind it

ProjectArcher Datacenters Faribault Campus
Developer and teamArcher Datacenters
End userNot found in the recordsNot yet named in any record or credited report we have found.

The record, newest first

  1. The Faribault Daily News reported that the council had approved the delay. (Faribault Daily News, July 17, 2026)

  2. The council moved to give Archer until March 31, 2027 to prepare a supplemental EAW, with formal action set for July 14. (KSTP, July 9, 2026; Faribault Daily News, July 9, 2026; Faribault Daily News, July 11, 2026)

  3. In a nonprecedential opinion, the Court of Appeals held that the negative declaration was not supported by substantial evidence and sent it back to the city. MCEA had challenged the greenhouse-gas, noise, air-quality and cumulative-effects analyses. (KEYC, June 9, 2026; KSTP, July 9, 2026)

  4. MCEA asked the Minnesota Court of Appeals to review the city's decision. (Minnesota Center for Environmental Advocacy, May 15, 2026)

  5. The city of Faribault decided that no EIS was needed for up to 500,000 sq ft of data center buildings on 84.3 acres (a negative declaration on the EAW). (Minnesota Environmental Quality Board, Sept. 2, 2025)

  6. Finance & Commerce reported that Archer Datacenters SPE2 LLC had bought the 87.6-acre site for $4.5 million, with a concept plan of up to 120 MW that it called subject to change. (Great River Energy Economic Development (reprinting Finance & Commerce), Nov. 27, 2024)

Conflicts and open questions

  • Acreage: 84.3 (EQB Monitor, KEYC), about 87 (KSTP, Faribault Daily News), 87.6 (sale).
  • Utility not confirmed in a source opened.
  • Only the headline of the July 17, 2026 Faribault Daily News story could be read; the vote count on the formal resolution was not confirmed.
  • The case number and filing month come from MCEA, a party to the case.

The full record

Status note
After the Court of Appeals reversed the city's EAW decision in June 2026, the council gave Archer until March 31, 2027 to prepare a supplemental EAW; the project is on hold.
Power note
Up to 120 MW in the conceptual plan, described as subject to change (Finance & Commerce, Nov. 2024).
Evidence
Primary public records
Size class
50 MW or more (tracker scope)
Map position approximate, from the reported address or area. Updated Oct. 17, 2026.