Data center profile · Southwest corner of 150th Street and Pilot Knob Road, Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota

Oppidan Apple Valley Technology Park

Oppidan's proposed 250 to 300 MW, five-data-center campus in Apple Valley, Minnesota, ended Mar. 2026: rezoning withdrawn, council unanimously denied remaining approvals.

Cancelled. The developer withdrew the rezoning on Mar. 6, 2026, and on Mar. 26 the council unanimously denied the plat, site plan and conditional use permit. No appeal or new application was reported as of Oct. 2026.
250 to 300 MW
power use, developer says
Oppidan's Midwest development chief gave the range in a Feb. 2025 interview (press); no utility agreement was ever signed
134 acres
former Fischer sand and gravel mine
five data center buildings in the application, 860,000 sq ft across seven buildings in all (press)
Unanimous
council denial of plat, site plan and permit, Mar. 26, 2026
all five members voted yes on each of three denial resolutions
8M gallons a year
planned cooling water use, developer says
about 85% below the mine's current use
OperatorOppidan Investment Company (developer); Rockport LLC (site owner)
CustomerNo tenant ever named; speculative
Planned IT capacity200 MW at full build-out (our estimate from the company's 250 MW campus power figure)
Next stepNone scheduled; no appeal or new application reported
Permits

Permits checklist

1 withdrawn · 4 denied · 1 granted · 1 checked, nothing on file

Approvals a campus like this normally needs (including an air permit for backup or on-site generators), and what we found.

Risks

Why it stopped, what could revive it

Power

Power and the grid

Sources on record, size not disclosed

Getting on the grid

Who supplies what, what it costs, and what is still not public.

  1. Not set
    Service agreement: none
    No electric service or interconnection agreement was located; the project never reached that stage. News report · Feb. 2025
Money

Money on record

Land assembly

1 recorded land document for the campus company in county records (Sept. 2016); it lists no price. 3 sales or conveyances by the campus company or to public bodies are not listed. Parcel counts come from the deed; acreage is not recorded.

Timeline

What happened, and what is due

SitePaper trailConstructionPowerPermitsMoneyLegalUpcoming
  1. Sept. 19, 2016
    Money Land purchase by Rockport LLC recorded, no price on the deed; seller not named (3 parcels) County deed records · Sept. 2016
  2. Dec. 18, 2024
    Permits Oppidan files a combined application: rezoning from sand and gravel, conditional use permit, site plan and preliminary plat Local government · Dec. 2024
  3. Feb. 5, 2025
    Permits Planning commission holds a public hearing and takes no action; the rezoning is never formally decided News report · Feb. 2025
  4. Feb. 27, 2025
    Permits Council creates the mixed use business campus zoning district, which makes data centers a conditional use but approves no project News report · Feb. 2025
  5. April 2025
    Permits Planning commission recommends denying a comprehensive plan amendment, citing water, sewer and noise concerns (a recommendation, not a decision) News report · March 2026
  6. Jan. 2026
    Permits City council denies the comprehensive plan amendment; staff tell Oppidan the application cannot advance without it (press) News report · March 2026
  7. March 6, 2026
    Permits Oppidan withdraws the rezoning application and Rockport LLC withdraws owner consent News report · March 2026
  8. March 26, 2026
    Permits Council unanimously denies the preliminary plat, site and building plan and conditional use permit News report · March 2026
  9. March 27, 2026
    Site Oppidan says it still believes a data center is an appropriate use for the mine; no new application followed News report · March 2026
The buildings

Specs

5 data centers
three one-story and two two-story buildings, plus support buildings
Local government · Dec. 2024
794,200 sq ft
data center footprint (press); 860,000 sq ft in total
News report · Feb. 2025
20 acres
stormwater pond land the developer offered to dedicate; never executed
Local government · Dec. 2024
Who is involved

Owners, partners and builders

Owners and developers
  • Oppidan Investment Company: developer, with its Connect Data Centers unit
  • Rockport LLC (formerly Fischer Sand and Aggregate): site owner, withdrew consent in Mar. 2026
Power
  • Dakota Electric Association: electric cooperative with a substation on the site's north side
Decision-makers
  • Apple Valley City Council: final decisions on every approval
  • Apple Valley Planning Commission: recommendations only
Still unknown

Open questions

Where this comes from

114 records from 15 documents

Drawn from news reports, local government records and public and commercial datasets, each kept with its date and source. The bar shows documents by type.

News report 11Local government 3Dataset 1
Evidence

Every quote behind this page

Grade key: A = the primary record itself (permit, filing, exhibit) · B = a dated official statement · C = news reporting. Map distances are our own measurements on OpenStreetMap and carry no grade. Allegations in lawsuits are marked as such in the quotes.

Power (8)
  • On-site generation: not stated
    “has prepared the attached submittal for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), Rezone, Site Plan Review, and Preliminary Plat for the Apple Valley Technology Park project”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • IT capacity: not stated
    “Drew Johnson, Oppidan's senior vice president of development for the Midwest Region, said in an interview that the site will use between 250 to 300 megawatts of energy”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Utility service: not stated
    “A Dakota Electric Association substation is already on site's north side, though there are plans to expand the substation from 2 acres in size to around 5 acres”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Planning Commission recommended denial of the comprehensive guide plan amendment over water supply, sanitary sewer, noise, and development-vision concerns - the first formal vote against the project. Resident opposition
    “related to concerns with water supply issues, sanitary (sewer) system issue, noise and altering the development vision”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Stated campus size: 250 MW
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park would have offered 250MW-300MW of capacity.”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Stated campus size: 250 MW
    “Drew Johnson, Oppidan's senior vice president of development for the Midwest Region, said in an interview that the site will use between 250 to 300 megawatts of energy”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Utility: Dakota Electric Association
    “A Dakota Electric Association substation is already on site's north side, though there are plans to expand the substation from 2 acres in size to around 5 acres, according to the power cooperative's vice president, Jonathon Beyer”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Power plan: grid
    “A Dakota Electric Association substation is already on site's north side, though there are plans to expand the substation from 2 acres in size to around 5 acres”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
Money and contracts (17)
  • applicant commitment - infrastructure: scope - proposed, never executed
    “the project will fund the extension of Johnny Cake Ridge Road and 155th St. W to aid in future development of the area”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • applicant commitment - stormwater: condition - proposed, never executed 20 acres
    “Oppidan will be dedicating 20 acres on the south side of the project to the city for region storm water ponds”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Land purchase (recorded deed): contract value USD
    “Recorded: May 18, 2023 · Grantor: ROCKPORT LLC · Grantee: COUNTY OF DAKOTA · Parcel number: 01-55893-01-020 · Address: 15350 ENGLISH AVE · City: APPLE VALLEY”
    County deed records · May 2023 · grade B
  • Land purchase (recorded deed): contract value USD
    “Recorded: Dec. 22, 2022 · Grantor: ROCKPORT LLC · Grantee: CITY OF APPLE VALLEY · Address: 000 ADDRESS EXCEPTION · City: CITY EXCEPTION”
    County deed records · Dec. 2022 · grade B
  • Land purchase (recorded deed): contract value 285000 USD
    “Recorded: Feb. 8, 2022 · Price: $285,000 · Grantor: ROCKPORT LLC · Grantee: COUNTY OF DAKOTA · Parcel number: 01-55891-00-020 · Address: 15497 PILOT KNOB RD · City: APPLE VALLEY”
    County deed records · Feb. 2022 · grade B
  • Land purchase (recorded deed): contract value USD
    “Recorded: Sept. 19, 2016 · Grantee: ROCKPORT LLC · Parcel number: 01-03500-25-010 · Address: 000 ADDRESS EXCEPTION · City: APPLE VALLEY”
    County deed records · Sept. 2016 · grade B
  • Buildings: 7 buildings
    “Project included 860,000 square feet across seven buildings on 134 acres”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • development agreement: status - none executed
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • termination / cancellation terms: missing clause - no contract exists
    “Then, earlier this month, Oppidan withdrew its rezoning application”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • land purchase / site control: status - not located
    “the applicant formally withdrew the rezoning on March 6 and Rockport withdrew consent”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Nine months in, the campus still had no city council approvals, with Finance & Commerce reporting open questions about whether city water infrastructure could handle a major new user.
    “has yet to receive city council approvals amid questions about whether the city's water infrastructure can handle the addition of a major new user”
    News report · Sept. 2025 · grade C
  • Square feet: 860000 sq ft
    “that would involve the building of 860,000 square feet of property spread across primarily seven buildings, including five data centers”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Sq ft data center: 794200 sq ft
    “The five data centers will create a footprint that takes up approximately 794,200 square feet, while the remaining 66,000 square feet will be utilized by two two-story buildings”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Tenants: not stated
    “there are no property tax subsidies being used on the site but that it will be up to the end-user whether they utilize the tax credits around making equipment investments. Johnson did not name a user for the site”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Tenant status: speculative - no tenant ever announced
    “Johnson did not name a user for the site”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • electric service agreement: status - none executed
    “A Dakota Electric Association substation is already on site's north side, though there are plans to expand the substation from 2 acres in size to around 5 acres”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • tax incentives: status - none sought
    “Johnson said that there are no property tax subsidies being used on the site”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
Permits and government (42)
  • Site owner: Rockport LLC
    “Rockport LLC Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) was adopted by the City Council on December 26, 2024”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Zoning requested: MU-BC (Mixed Use Business Campus)
    “The proposed development is applying to rezone to MU-BC, as stated in the Apple Valley Comprehensive 2040 plan, as part of this submission”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • environmental review: AUAR adopted
    “Rockport LLC Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) was adopted by the City Council on December 26, 2024”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • land use application: filed
    “has prepared the attached submittal for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), Rezone, Site Plan Review, and Preliminary Plat for the Apple Valley Technology Park project”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Oppidan Development Co. filed the Apple Valley Technology Park application (CUP, rezone SG to MU-BC, site plan review, preliminary plat) for ~134 acres of the Fischer Sand and Aggregate mine. Narrative revised January 31
    “has prepared the attached submittal for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP), Rezone, Site Plan Review, and Preliminary Plat for the Apple Valley Technology Park project”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • The Rockport LLC AUAR was adopted by the City Council on December 26, 2024 (per the applicant's narrative).
    “Rockport LLC Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) was adopted by the City Council on December 26, 2024”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • environmental review: distribution of updated AUAR authorized
    “the final draft of the updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review and Mitigation Plan for Rockport, LLC is hereby accepted for distribution”
    Local government · Dec. 2021 · grade A
  • City Council accepted the updated Rockport, LLC AUAR and Mitigation Plan (dated November 30, 2021) for distribution - area-wide environmental review of the Fischer Sand and Aggregate redevelopment area, five years before
    “the final draft of the updated Alternative Urban Areawide Review and Mitigation Plan for Rockport, LLC is hereby accepted for distribution”
    Local government · Dec. 2021 · grade A
  • County code: 27037
    “Minutes of the regular meeting of the City Council of Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota, held March 26, 2026”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Project status: cancelled - denied by Apple Valley City Council March 26, 2026
    “adopt Resolution No. 2026-45 denying the Preliminary Plat of Apple Valley Technology Park as requested under Planning Application Case No. PC24-23-BCSZ”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Preliminary Plat: denying
    “adopt Resolution No. 2026-45 denying the Preliminary Plat of Apple Valley Technology Park as requested under Planning Application Case No. PC24-23-BCSZ”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Site & Building Plan and Building Permit Authorization: denying
    “adopt Resolution No. 2026-46 denying the Site & Building Plan and Building Permit Authorization for the proposed Apple Valley Technology Park (data center campus)”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Conditional Use Permit: denying
    “adopt Resolution No. 2026-47 denying the Conditional Use Permit for the proposed Apple Valley Technology Park (data center use)”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Planning Commission at Mar 18 2026 meeting unanimously recommended denial of preliminary plat, site plan/building permit authorization and CUP
    “He stated the Planning Commission, at its March 18, 2026, meeting, unanimously recommended denial of the preliminary plat, site plan and building permit authorization, and conditional use permit.”
    Local government · March 2026 · grade B
  • Alternative Urban Areawide Review: adopted
    “Rockport LLC Alternative Urban Areawide Review (AUAR) was adopted by the City Council on December 26, 2024.”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade B
  • air permit: never filed
    “the decision to back out of the project, MFP reports, was motivated by the challenges in gaining permits for backup generators”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Planning Commission: Preliminary plat, site/building plan and conditional use permit for the Technology Park
    “in line with the planning commission's recommendation the week prior”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Zoning existing: SG (Sand and Gravel)
    “Oppidan withdrew its rezoning application - which it had extended several times from last year - to reclassify the site from Sand and Gravel to Mixed Use Business Campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Construction stage: none - never built
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Stage: cancelled
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Current target date: not stated
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • comprehensive plan amendment: planning commission recommended denial
    “related to concerns with water supply issues, sanitary (sewer) system issue, noise and altering the development vision”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • comprehensive plan amendment: denied by city council
    “This last January, the city council voted to deny that comprehensive plan amendment”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • preliminary plat: denied
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • conditional use permit: denied
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • City Council denied the comprehensive plan amendment (Resolution Nov. 2026 as cited in the later council packet). Staff informed Oppidan the application could not advance without it.
    “This last January, the city council voted to deny that comprehensive plan amendment”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • City Council unanimously denied the preliminary plat (PC24-23-B), the site and building plan, and the conditional use permit. Project dead; no appeal or re-filing was reported as of October 2026.
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Planning Commission: Comprehensive guide plan amendment for the Orchard Place / Mixed Business Campus area
    “In April 2025, the planning commission voted to recommend denial of a comprehensive guide plan amendment”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • City Council: Comprehensive plan amendment denial
    “This last January, the city council voted to deny that comprehensive plan amendment”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • City Council: Resolutions denying the preliminary plat (PC24-23-B), the site and building plan, and the conditional use permit
    “the Apple Valley City Council vote Thursday to deny a site plan, preliminary plat and conditional use permit for the proposed campus”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • rezoning: withdrawn by applicant
    “the applicant formally withdrew the rezoning on March 6 and Rockport withdrew consent”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • site plan / building plan: denied
    “The council then considered three separate resolutions, as staff requested: to deny the preliminary plat, to deny the site and building plan and associated building permit, and to deny the conditional use permit”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Oppidan withdrew rezoning application in March 2026 after comprehensive plan amendment failed in January, per DCD reporting
    “Oppidan actually withdrew its rezoning application for the land parcel earlier this month.”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Oppidan withdrew the rezoning application and Rockport LLC withdrew owner consent. Because the site remains zoned SG (Sand and Gravel), a data center is not an allowed use and the application had no path forward.
    “the applicant formally withdrew the rezoning on March 6 and Rockport withdrew consent”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Council continued the Orchard Place comprehensive plan amendment to January 22, 2026 at Rockport's request, to analyse late-arriving state-agency private-well data; several council members opposed further extensions.
    “Rockport asked to delay action on a 2040 comprehensive-plan amendment affecting the Orchard Place/Mixed Business Campus to allow review of late-arriving private-well and related state-agency data”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
  • City Council: Orchard Place comprehensive plan amendment - continuance
    “Rockport asked to delay action on a 2040 comprehensive-plan amendment affecting the Orchard Place/Mixed Business Campus to allow review of late-arriving private-well and related state-agency data”
    News report · Dec. 2025 · grade C
  • zoning text amendment: district created by ordinance
    “The Apple Valley City Council on Feb. 27 passed an ordinance establishing a new Mixed Use Business Campus (MUBC) zoning district in Chapter 155 of the city code”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • City Council created the MU-BC (Mixed Use Business Campus) zoning district - the classification the project sought - making data centers a conditional use in it. The district's creation was the high-water mark of the pro
    “The Apple Valley City Council on Feb. 27 passed an ordinance establishing a new Mixed Use Business Campus (MUBC) zoning district in Chapter 155 of the city code”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • City Council: Adoption of the Mixed Use Business Campus (MUBC) zoning district ordinance (Chapter 155); second reading waived
    “The Apple Valley City Council on Feb. 27 passed an ordinance establishing a new Mixed Use Business Campus (MUBC) zoning district in Chapter 155 of the city code”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • First announced: Feb. 2025
    “The Apple Valley Planning Commission held a public hearing for the proposed campus at its Feb. 5 meeting, though it did not take any action on the item”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Planning Commission held the public hearing on the rezoning; no action taken under commission policy, and the hearing was kept open. The rezoning was never formally decided.
    “The Apple Valley Planning Commission held a public hearing for the proposed campus at its Feb. 5 meeting, though it did not take any action on the item”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Planning Commission: Public hearing on the Technology Park rezoning (SG to MU-BC) and the draft MU-BC ordinance
    “The Apple Valley Planning Commission held a public hearing for the proposed campus at its Feb. 5 meeting, though it did not take any action on the item”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
Legal (1)
  • Application case: PC24-23-B
    “Council member Bridal moved to adopt the resolution denying the preliminary plat (planning application case number PC24-23-B)”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
Site and other (19)
  • County code: Dakota County, MN (27037)
    “in Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota”
    Local government · Oct. 2026 · grade A
  • Name: Apple Valley Technology Park
    “Subject: Apple Valley Technology Park - Land Development Narrative”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Developer: Oppidan Investment Company
    “On behalf of project proposer, Oppidan Development Co., Penny Design Group and Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. has prepared the attached submittal”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Applicant entity: Oppidan Development Co.
    “On behalf of project proposer, Oppidan Development Co., Penny Design Group and Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. has prepared the attached submittal”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • City: Apple Valley
    “in Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • County: Dakota County
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project proposes the development of approximately 134 acres of land located at the southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street) and CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road) in Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • State: MN
    “in Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Site location: Southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street) and CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road), Apple Valley, MN
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project proposes the development of approximately 134 acres of land located at the southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street) and CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road) in Apple Valley, Dakota County, Minnesota”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Acres: 134 acres
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project proposes the development of approximately 134 acres of land”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Site history: Eastern portion of the Fischer Sand and Aggregate mining operation
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project will be replacing the eastern portion of the current mining operations”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Buildings data center: 5 buildings
    “The proposed development includes three one-story data center buildings and two two-story data center buildings, along with ancillary buildings for office space, security, logistics, and centralized utility services”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Water use annual: 8000000 gallons/year
    “Annually the water consumption of the cooling system will be under 8 million gallons per year, a 85% decrease from current mining operations per the DNR water appropriation website”
    Local government · Dec. 2024 · grade A
  • Site location: Southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street) and CSAH 31 (Pilot Knob Road), Apple Valley, MN; also described as 15255 Johnny Cake Ridge Road in press
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project proposes the development of approximately 134 acres of land located at the southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street)”
    Local government · Jan. 2025 · grade B
  • Site acres: 134 acres
    “The Apple Valley Technology Park project proposes the development of approximately 134 acres of land located at the southwest corner of CSAH 42 (150th Street)”
    Local government · Jan. 2025 · grade B
  • Statewide Minnesota data center water debate: the Apple Valley campus's ~8 million gallons per year was cited (Star Tribune reporting, via Government Technology) as the low-water example among proposed Minnesota campuses
    “Oppidan says its planned Apple Valley campus would use about 8 million gallons of water per year”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Nothing from Rosemount is booked in this folder, and press roundups that list Dakota County projects together must not be merged into this campus.
    “Mortensen is building a data center in Rosemount for Facebook's parent company, Meta”
    News report · Oct. 2026 · grade C
  • Oppidan (Pete Carbonneau) responded that it appreciated the review and still believes a data center is an appropriate use for the aggregate mine - leaving the door open rhetorically, but no new application followed.
    “We still believe that data center is an appropriate use for the aggregate mine”
    News report · March 2026 · grade C
  • Address: 15255 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Apple Valley, MN
    “a data center proposed for the Fischer Sand and Aggregate mining site at 15255 Johnny Cake Ridge Road in Apple Valley”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C
  • Original target date: not stated
    “Should Oppidan get all the green lights from the city, Johnson said the hope is to start construction by this summer or fall. He said construction of the site is on a five-year timeline”
    News report · Feb. 2025 · grade C

Imagery and records: County deeds: ATTOM.