Butte-Silver Bow council advances sale of 600 acres to Horizons Montana for proposed data center campus

The Butte-Silver Bow Council of Commissioners on April 16 voted 10-1 to concur and place on file a purchase-and-sale agreement allowing Horizons Montana LLC to pursue purchase of about 600 acres in the Montana Connections industrial park for a proposed data center campus.

The sale is an early step in a larger, multi-phase project. Kristen Rosa, the county TIFID administrator, told commissioners the agreement gives the buyer control of land while the company works through utility plans, permits and other details; she said the district’s zoning allows industrial development and that the purchase includes a clawback provision.

Why it matters: the campus would be a large industrial power user and could require new grid capacity, water and other infrastructure; commissioners and residents asked how those impacts would be managed and who would pay for upgrades.

Public commenters and company representatives answered questions at the meeting. Bob Morris, a longtime electric power industry professional and Lance Energy Chair at Montana Tech, urged the council to consider the proposal and said Montana utilities can support the load. “I support data center development in Butte Silver Bow and I encourage the council to give it due consideration,” Morris said.

Company representatives described the project as large but not fully designed. John Sabey, a company representative, said the campus’ final footprint and schedule are undecided: “the size of the project is yet to be determined, but it would be multiple hundreds of thousands of square feet to potentially a million square feet,” he said. Sabey said buildout could be phased depending on customer demand and that the operator typically pursues a mix of hyperscalers and enterprise customers.

On electricity and water: Sabey told the council the company is negotiating with Northwestern Energy on power and intends to partner on additional generation and distribution work rather than rely solely on existing capacity. He also said cooling systems can be designed to use “as little water or as much water as is available,” and that the firm can tailor designs to local constraints.

Several commissioners and residents urged more public engagement before final approvals. Evan Barrett, a local resident, urged the council to separate the communication from consent and hold additional public discussion to ensure community awareness. Barrett said, “public awareness has had an impact in the past,” and asked for more time for public input. Commissioner Anderson asked for due diligence and a pause; that request did not carry a substitute motion.

Council action: Commissioner Fisher moved to concur and place the purchase-and-sale agreement on file; the motion passed 10-1. The council also introduced related resolutions to the judiciary committee for further review and indicated additional hearings and approvals will follow before any land conveyance or construction begins.

What’s next: the purchase-and-sale agreement gives Horizons Montana time to complete technical planning, negotiate power agreements and pursue permits. Any subsequent land conveyance, utility contracts or building permits will return to the council or the appropriate review body for formal approval.