QTS is continuing to push for the development of its gigawatt-scale PW Digital Gateway project in Virginia and filed an appeal to have the development’s zoning reinstated.

QTS and Compass had filed to develop thousands of acres of greenfield land in Manassas for a massive data center development totaling dozens of buildings. However, a Virginia appeals court last month upheld a previous ruling that the project’s zoning was invalid.

The Prince William Times reports that the data center firm filed a notice of appeal to the Virginia Supreme Court this week to challenge that decision.

Compass this week confirmed it had backed out of the project, and county officials had previously said they would no longer put money into the appeals process.

QTS, however, filed the appeal on April 30, hours before the appeal deadline. Bloomberg had reported that QTS was likely to appeal the decision.

QTS’s petition, seen by the Prince William Times, argues that the Virginia Supreme Court should grant review of the case, alleging that the Court of Appeals committed several errors of law when it upheld the previous ruling invalidating the project’s zoning authorization.

“This case involves the Court of Appeals’ unprecedented nullification of three Prince William County zoning amendments that would have brought tens of billions of dollars in investment—and thousands of jobs—to Virginia,” the QTS petition said.

QTS provided the following statement to DCD: "The Prince William Board of County Supervisors previously approved this project, which would bring critical infrastructure and tens of billions of dollars in investment to the county, including millions of dollars in local annual tax revenue and thousands of high-paying permanent job opportunities. We remain committed to the project and being a responsible partner to the Prince William County community."

QTS keeps up the fight on Pageland Lane

QTS and Compass were originally given the green light for the 2,100-acre, multi-gigawatt development in December 2023 after a marathon 27-hour public meeting.

QTS was aiming to develop around 11.3 million gross square feet (1.05 million sqm) of data center space. The project, one of the first proposed gigawatt-scale campuses, would have totaled some 37 buildings at full build-out.

DCD visited the site back in 2022 ahead of the final vote and has spoken to both proponents and the opposing coalition about the large-scale project.

However, legal challenges were filed arguing that the project’s zoning was invalid because proper public notice was not given through the correct channels. A judge agreed in an August 2025 decision, revoking the zoning authorization. That decision was upheld by an appeals court last month.

The project had been mired in controversy throughout its planning; residents who weren’t willing to sell decried the potential impact on the rural area, its proximity to a Civil War-era battlefield, and the potential environmental impacts of such a large development. Multiple lawsuits had been filed against the project, and the coalition hosted an unanswered protest outside QTS’ existing Manassas data center.

Several landowners contracted with QTS for the project are now seeking to terminate their agreements, filing a lawsuit to do so. QTS has filed a counter-suit against the plaintiffs, claiming damages in its effort to prevent “wrongful termination.”

“QTS is clearly fighting a losing battle. Judges throughout this Commonwealth, including a unanimous panel at the appellate level, have repeatedly ruled that the rezonings for this monstrosity are illegal. Not even their fellow defendants are willing to continue such a futile defense," said American Battlefield Trust President David Duncan. “But since QTS insists on seeking the opinion of the Supreme Court of Virginia, we will meet them with the same strong legal defense — and fundamental resolve — that we have shown throughout this yearslong battle to ensure this catastrophic complex will never see the light of day.”