A Win for Historic Manassas Battlefield and Nearby Residents as County Drops Defense of Digital Gateway

(Prince William County, Va.) — In a major blow to plans for a massive data center complex alongside Manassas National Battlefield Park, the Prince William County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously today to not appeal its defense of the illegal rezonings for the Prince William Digital Gateway, which had sparked national attention and vocal public opposition. 

The American Battlefield Trust, Oak Valley Homeowners Association and local landowners challenged the fast-tracked rezonings, urging that the Board and the data center developers violated state code and local ordinances when they failed to properly advertise the proposal or make its text available to the public. Last month, the Virginia Court of Appeals unanimously agreed with these claims, invalidating the rezonings and leaving the Board and the data center developers with the unenviable choice of conceding defeat or seeking discretionary review from the Supreme Court of Virginia. 

“Today, the Board listened to what their constituents, numerous judges, and we have said for years: the rezonings for the Prince William Digital Gateway mega-development were not only detrimental for Prince William County, but illegal,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. “We are incredibly grateful the Board arrived at this conclusion, and hope this signals the end for this nightmarish threat to the hallowed ground of Manassas.” 

The vote by the Board of Supervisors effectively halts the spending of taxpayer dollars to defend the rezonings, which has already cost county residents more than $1.7 million in legal fees. Going forward, county participation in the suit is expected to be minimal, as required by the court. It is unknown at this time whether the data center developers will pursue an appeal to the Supreme Court of Virginia, but defeats before the Court of Appeals and now the Board of Supervisors make such an appeal an increasingly uphill battle. 

“From the very beginning, this project only benefited a handful of out-of-state developersand special interests, at the expense of local residents and the historic battlefield,” added Duncan. “Should the developers choose to continue this fight without the County’s support, they will be met with the grit and determination we and our partners have shown throughout this years-long legal battle.” 

The March 31 decision from the Virginia Court of Appeals addressed two parallel lawsuits challenging the December 2023 rezoning votes, which were hastily pushed through by a lame-duck Board of Supervisors as the term of the at-large Chairwoman was about to expire. The rezonings were approved with a 4-3 vote, and one abstention, amid public outcry and against recommendations from County planning staff. Since then, voters have elected Board members who expressed concerns about the impropriety of the process and the effect of the project on the County. 

 The Prince William Digital Gateway — with 37 proposed data center buildings, roughly the equivalent of 144 Walmart Supercenters — would require 14 on-site electrical substations for operation. These data centers are expected to consume up to 9 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power over 2 million homes, and to stretch miles of high voltage transmission lines over the hallowed grounds of the Manassas Battlefield, and as well as private homes of Prince William County. 

Manassas National Battlefield Park commemorates two critical battles of the American Civil War, the Battles of First and Second Manassas (also referred to as First and Second Bull Run). Together, the two battles resulted in nearly 27,000 casualties. While the presence of a national park demonstrates the significance of these battles, important historical events occurred beyond its modern boundaries, on land slated to be the site of the Prince William Digital Gateway. Additionally, the proposed complex threatens the remains of those who fell and were laid to rest in unknown, unmarked graves.  

The American Battlefield Trust is dedicated to preserving America’s hallowed battlegrounds and educating the public about what happened there and why it matters today. The nonprofit, nonpartisan organization has protected more than 60,000 acres associated with the Revolutionary War, War of 1812 and Civil War across 160 sites in 25 states, including 387 acres at Manassas. Learn more at www.battlefields.org. 

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