Microsoft has bought more than 600 acres of land in Woodward, a small town outside Des Moines, Iowa, to build a data centre, local broadcaster KCCI reported. The plans were revealed at a heated residents-only meeting on Monday 12 October 2026.
Microsoft has not issued a press release about the purchase, and the price has not been disclosed. The details come from KCCI, the Des Moines Register and DatacenterDynamics (DCD).
What is known
KCCI reported that Microsoft bought the land from a private seller, not from the city, late last week. DCD, citing the Des Moines Register, said the sale went through on 8 October. The land is already zoned for industrial use, which includes data centres.
The project is at a very early stage. “We have not even begun to design the building, so we have no idea what mechanical systems will be going into the buildings,” Microsoft land development manager Jackie Nickolaus told residents, according to DCD. KCCI reported Microsoft as saying design would take roughly two years before construction could begin; DCD said she put the design phase at two to three years.
Nickolaus said the site is expected to handle cloud computing and data storage, not AI training, DCD reported. Microsoft representatives told the meeting the project would bring dozens of jobs and a bigger tax base, and would not affect residents’ utility bills, according to KCCI.
DCD noted that the value of the deal has not been shared.
A tense meeting
Reports of the turnout differ. KCCI said more than 200 residents attended; DCD, citing the Des Moines Register, said at least 300. The Register itself described “hundreds of residents” packing a school auditorium. One person was escorted out by police, KCCI reported.
Residents asked whether they would get a vote. Mayor Todd Folkerts said they would not, though the city council will vote on its negotiations with Microsoft. “We have to find revenue sources for our community,” he told the crowd.
Only Woodward residents were allowed in. Randy Evans, president of the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, was turned away and said the residency requirement “runs counter to the openness that the public meetings all guarantee,” KCCI reported.
What this means
- Microsoft keeps expanding around Des Moines. It already has several data-centre projects in the area, DCD noted.
- Local pushback is growing. Residents want a say over large data-centre projects in small towns.
- Most details are still unknown. There is no design, no price and no official announcement yet.
Sources
- KCCI, “Microsoft purchases over 600 acres in Woodward to build a data center”, 12 October 2026. https://www.kcci.com/article/microsoft-purchases-over-600-acres-in-woodward-to-build-a-data-center/74114187
- Des Moines Register, “Woodward meeting erupts as Microsoft unveils plans for data center”, 13 October 2026. https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/local/dallas-county/2026/10/13/microsoft-woodward-iowa-data-center-meeting-residents/92218793007/
- DatacenterDynamics (Georgia Butler), “Microsoft acquires 600 acres of land for data center in Woodward, Iowa”, 14 October 2026. https://www.datacenterdynamics.com/en/news/microsoft-acquires-600-acres-of-land-for-data-center-in-woodward-iowa/
Related stories
- Taylor, Texas Council Votes 5-0 for a 664-Acre Data-Centre and Power-Plant Deal; the Land Is Not Yet Annexed
- BUZZ HPC Says Oakville Taxpayers Won’t Pay Grid Costs for Its Proposed C$3.5bn, 320MW AI Campus
- Microsoft’s Azure Chief Reportedly Asked Leaders to Find at Least 20% in Cost Cuts; Microsoft Disputes the Report
- Oregon Governor Asks Environmental Regulator to Pause Data-Centre Permits Until July 2027
