Bringing long-term investment to De Soto
Our proposed data center project at Astra Enterprise Park in De Soto, Kansas, would bring lasting economic investment and opportunity to a site purpose-built for industrial use, supporting construction jobs, skilled trades, and the digital infrastructure behind everyday life.
A new era of critical infrastructure
Data centers help keep essential digital services running, from healthcare records and emergency response tools to small business systems, online banking, research, and communications.
Astra Enterprise Park is already being redeveloped for large-scale industrial and advanced manufacturing uses. The proposed data center project would be part of that long-term redevelopment, bringing new investment to land with a history of major industrial use.
Our project is expected to support thousands of construction jobs over time, including more than 1,000 workers at peak construction for Astra North, the initial phase of development. Once operational, the site is expected to support approximately 250 full-time jobs and ongoing work for local suppliers, contractors, and service providers.
Creating work for skilled trades
The De Soto project is expected to create demand for electricians, HVAC technicians, equipment operators, construction workers and other skilled trades throughout development. It will also generate accessible entry-level opportunities across security, maintenance, and facilities, broadening the project's impact across the local workforce.
Once operational, the site would also support long-term roles in facility operations, maintenance, security, and infrastructure management.
Designing with nearby areas in mind
The proposed project is being planned with attention to sound, lighting, and visibility from surrounding areas.
Design strategies include locating major equipment indoors or behind screening where possible, using noise-reducing features and applying lighting approaches intended to limit glare and spillover.
FAQs
What are we proposing in De Soto?
We are exploring a new data center project at Astra Enterprise Park in De Soto, Kansas, near W. 103rd Street and Lexington Avenue.
The site is located on the former Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant property, which is already being redeveloped for large-scale industrial and advanced manufacturing uses.
The first phase, called Astra North, would cover about 280 acres. Astra North and Astra South together make up roughly 1,400 acres. The project would be developed in phases over time, allowing growth to align with infrastructure planning, customer demand, and the appropriate public review processes.
We are still in the planning process and are continuing to work closely with local leaders, utility partners, and community stakeholders. As with other projects of this scale, the development will be subject to required permitting and review procedures, including construction permits and planning commission approval.
We are also in discussions with a highly regarded potential customer that has a strong track record of responsible development and community engagement. We look forward to sharing additional information once an agreement has been finalized.
What does a data center do, and why build one here?
A data center houses computing and networking equipment used to store, process, and move digital information.
Every search query, streamed video, financial transaction, and medical record depends on a data center. They are not background infrastructure; they are the backbone of modern life.
De Soto offers several factors needed for this kind of infrastructure, including available land, a strong regional workforce, power infrastructure, and major fiber connectivity. The groundwork is already laid. With the site designated and zoned for manufacturing, large-scale investment isn't just possible here; it's the logical next step.
How large would the project be, and what is the approximate cost?
The first phase, known as Astra North, would cover approximately 280 acres and accommodate nine data center buildings.
The nine data center buildings, including administrative buildings, would total approximately 1 million square feet.
The first phase of the project is expected to cost approximately $4 billion, excluding data center equipment. Equipment costs will be determined by the customer and will vary depending on their technology needs and deployment plans.
What is the anticipated economic benefit for De Soto?
We’re still working through the economic impact analysis and are not ready to share specific estimates yet.
What we can say is that projects of this scale typically represent a significant long-term investment in the communities where they’re located. As planning continues, we look forward to sharing more information about the project’s anticipated economic benefits, including how it could support local priorities and help provide resources for the services, infrastructure, and programs that matter most to residents.
What should nearby residents expect during construction?
The project will be delivered through a phased development program. Because the site will support a multi-building campus, construction will progress sequentially across the nine buildings.
During active construction, nearby residents may see increased traffic, deliveries, and site activity, especially during heavier build periods. Project planning would include coordination on work hours, site access, traffic routing, deliveries, dust control, and other measures to reduce disruption where possible.
Over the life of the project, we expect it to support thousands of construction jobs. For the Astra North phase alone, more than 1,000 workers are expected to be on site during peak construction activity, creating opportunities for electricians, HVAC technicians, equipment operators, construction workers, and other skilled trades.
Once operational, the project is expected to support approximately 250 full-time positions in facility operations, maintenance, security, infrastructure management, and related vendor support.
Once operational, data centers typically generate lower day-to-day traffic than many other large industrial uses. Because data centers have a relatively small on-site workforce once built, they also typically do not bring the same ongoing congestion or traffic impacts as some other large industrial developments.