The Kraft Group‘s proposed $16.75 billion data center campus in Sutton, Massachusetts, could generate nearly $28 million in annual property taxes, potentially reduce residential tax bills and introduce a new scale of hyperscale computing infrastructure to the state. But delivering the development would require securing approximately 900 megawatts of electricity, building substantial utility infrastructure and satisfying new state requirements governing energy procurement, water use and community protections.
The proposal, known as the Unified Parkway Data Center, involves The Kraft Group, the privately held company controlled by New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft and his sons Jonathan and Daniel, and Unified Global Packaging Group, a Kraft-affiliated packaging business. The proposed campus would occupy approximately 390 acres of a larger 448-acre property near Boston Road, Providence Road and Unified Parkway, about 10 miles south of Worcester.
Outlined in a November 9 memorandum from Sutton Town Manager Austin Cyganiewicz, the proposal remains preliminary. No formal development application has been filed, and important details concerning electricity, water, equipment and site impacts remain outstanding.
Inside the $16.75 billion development
The proposed campus would contain up to ten hyperscale buildings, each approximately 250,000 square feet, bringing the total planned floor area to 2.5 million square feet.
The developer’s proposed schedule calls for the first two buildings to open in 2029, followed by two additional buildings annually through 2033.
The estimated $16.75 billion investment includes approximately $675 million in real property per building, with electrical systems, cooling infrastructure and generators accounting for about $600 million of that amount. Computing equipment, including servers and racks, represents approximately another $1 billion per building.
This distinction matters because the announced investment does not translate directly into taxable property value. Computing equipment is subject to depreciation, and the town’s preliminary tax projections use assessment assumptions that differ from the developer’s estimated investment.
The proposed campus would be a major addition to the physical infrastructure supporting artificial intelligence, cloud computing and digital storage.
The 900 MW electricity challenge
Electricity supply is arguably the biggest obstacle to delivering the project.
At full capacity, the campus would require approximately 900 MW, equivalent to roughly 7% of Massachusetts’ peak electricity demand on the hottest summer day of the previous year, according to reporting by The Boston Globe.
The property has existing transmission infrastructure nearby, including a 345-kilovolt line running between Millbury and West Farnum and a 115-kilovolt line. Preliminary plans also identify three substations, including a proposed National Grid substation near Dudley Road.
The developers have reportedly begun discussions with ISO New England, the regional grid operator, about securing the required electricity.
However, proximity to transmission lines does not guarantee available capacity. The project still needs to establish its interconnection requirements, identify potential grid upgrades and demonstrate how electricity will be delivered as individual buildings become operational.
Massachusetts also has relatively high electricity prices, creating an additional commercial consideration for a development requiring such substantial power.
New Massachusetts rules raise the requirements
The proposal arrives as Massachusetts introduces stricter requirements for large data center developments.
Governor Maura Healey signed Executive Order 658 on September 8, 2026. It applies to new data centers with peak electricity demand exceeding 25 MW and directs state permitting agencies not to issue relevant authorizations unless developers demonstrate compliance with the state’s responsible-development framework and submit a qualifying community benefits agreement for review.
The order also directs regulators to establish requirements for incremental clean electricity generation sufficient to cover annual data center consumption. An alternative compliance payment mechanism is due by December 31, 2026, with proceeds intended for a Ratepayer Protection Fund.
The state framework further requires developers to bear the costs of energy supply, grid infrastructure and interconnection rather than shifting those expenses to existing electricity customers.
At approximately 900 MW, Sutton’s proposed campus would be 36 times the order’s electricity-demand threshold.
This makes power procurement, infrastructure financing and community benefits central to the project’s regulatory pathway. Water availability, wastewater management, stormwater and air quality also require examination.
Water, cooling and backup power remain open questions
The developer has discussed exploring treated wastewater for cooling, but detailed water-management plans have not yet been provided.
The town will need to establish how much reclaimed water is available, whether existing treatment facilities can accommodate demand and what additional infrastructure would be necessary.
Cooling technology will influence both water consumption and electricity requirements. Backup generators also deserve scrutiny because their fuel storage, emissions, noise and operating schedules could affect surrounding communities.
These questions will require independent technical review before Sutton can properly evaluate the development’s environmental footprint.
Could the project reduce Sutton residents’ property taxes?
The financial implications are substantial. Sutton’s existing taxable property base is approximately $2.85 billion, considerably smaller than the proposed development’s estimated investment.
The town projects that the first two buildings could generate approximately $10.4 million annually in property taxes by fiscal year 2031. Once all ten buildings are assessed, annual property tax revenue could reach approximately $27.8 million by fiscal year 2035.
That would approach the town’s current annual tax levy of approximately $32 million.
Under the town’s projections, the additional revenue could reduce property tax bills for an average single-family homeowner by approximately $2,300 in fiscal 2031 and $5,800 by fiscal 2035.
The potential windfall comes as Sutton faces rising municipal costs. Its long-term financial projections indicate that a structural budget deficit could reach approximately $9.1 million by fiscal 2033 without additional revenue.
However, the projected tax benefits depend on the buildings being completed, equipment being assessed at expected values and the town’s future spending requirements. Additional expenditure on roads, emergency services, water infrastructure and municipal operations could reduce the net financial benefit.
The town must therefore evaluate the project’s full municipal costs alongside its projected tax contributions.
Sutton’s approval process will shape the outcome
The Select Board’s November 10 discussion brought considerable community opposition into the open. Residents raised concerns about electricity, water, noise, generators, traffic and the town’s industrial future. The board took no approval action and indicated that further public discussions would be necessary.
Sutton currently has no specific zoning provisions for data centers. Establishing a framework would involve Planning Board review and a proposed zoning amendment requiring a two-thirds vote at Town Meeting.
A community benefits agreement could also establish enforceable commitments covering minimum assessed property values, water-use limits, noise, local hiring, public safety, decommissioning and financial protections that remain effective if the property changes ownership.
A possible spring 2027 Town Meeting vote has been identified as an important milestone if the town proceeds with the process.
The proposed 2029 opening therefore remains a development target rather than a confirmed construction commitment.
What the proposal means beyond Sutton
The Kraft Group’s proposal presents Massachusetts with a significant test of how it accommodates the expanding demand for AI and cloud computing infrastructure.
For Sutton, the potential tax revenue could provide substantial financial relief. For the developer, the challenge is securing the electricity, water and regulatory approvals needed to support ten large computing facilities.
The outcome will also have implications for other Massachusetts communities considering data center developments, particularly as the state seeks to attract investment without transferring infrastructure and environmental costs to residents.
Ultimately, the question is not simply whether the Kraft Group can invest $16.75 billion in Sutton. It is whether the development can secure the infrastructure and community protections necessary to make a project of this scale viable.
The power requirements facing the proposed Sutton campus reflect a wider challenge for the data center industry: securing reliable electricity as computing demand grows. In Utah, that challenge has already translated into new energy infrastructure, with Lydian Energy bringing a 150 MW battery storage project online to support Meta. The project offers a practical example of how developers are pairing large-scale computing operations with energy storage to strengthen power supply.
Project factsheet
- Project: Unified Parkway Data Center
- Developers: The Kraft Group and Unified Global Packaging Group
- Location: Sutton, Massachusetts, USA
- Proposed investment: $16.75 billion
- Site area: Approximately 390 acres
- Buildings: Up to 10 hyperscale data centers
- Total floor area: Approximately 2.5 million sq. ft.
- Electricity demand: Approximately 900 MW
- Proposed substations: Three
- First buildings: Targeted for 2029
- Full build-out: Targeted for 2033
- Projected annual property taxes: $27.8 million at full assessment
- Current status: Preliminary proposal; no formal development application filed.
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