AI cloud provider Nebius has broken ground on its data center campus in Independence, Missouri.

Set for 400 acres of land, the project will be Nebius' first gigawatt-scale data center project in the US.

The land is located in the existing Eastgate Commerce Center, off Little Blue Parkway and Missouri Highway 78. Up to 10 buildings are planned and, according to Nebius' project page, could offer up to 1.2GW of capacity. When plans for the campus were first announced, it was said to be an 800MW campus spanning 2.5 million sq ft (232,255 sqm) of data center space.

The company has said it represents a "multi-billion-dollar investment" and previously claimed the project would create hundreds of construction jobs and approximately 130 full-time jobs. Now that building has commenced, Nebius has updated this figure, estimating that the number of construction jobs will be closer to 1,200, and mostly come from local union building trades.

“Projects like this are built for the long term, and we are committed to developing this facility in a way that directly benefits Independence,” said 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.”

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

Nebius secured tax breaks for the project in March 2026, as well as $150bn in two series of Taxable Industrial Development Revenue Bonds.

Independence is located just outside of Kansas City in Jackson County.

Nebius has a data center presence across the US, the Middle East, and Europe. As well as owning a data center in Mäntsälä, Finland, the company is currently leasing or set to lease capacity in the UK (London, in an Ark DC facility), France (Paris, Equinix), Israel (multiple locations, Mega Or), Iceland (Keflavik, Verne), and the US in New Jersey (Vineland, DataOne) and Missouri (Kansas City, Patmos).

Nebius’ other location in Kansas City is located in the former Kansas City Star printing press, some 20 miles (32.1km) west of the new site. US hosting firm Patmos announced plans to repurpose the vacant facility at 1601 McGee Street into a 40MW data center in 2024.