The Kraft Group, owned by Patriots owner Robert Kraft, has submitted a proposal for a $16 billion data‑center campus on land held by its Unified Global Packaging subsidiary in Sutton, about 10 miles south of Worcester. If fully built, the development would comprise ten 250,000‑square‑foot buildings—roughly 2.5 million square feet, or the equivalent of 43 football fields—requiring about 900 megawatts of electricity, according to the town’s preliminary review cited by NBC10 Boston.
Town officials estimate the first two buildings could begin operating in 2029 and would generate roughly $10.4 million in property‑tax revenue starting in fiscal year 2031. Additional buildings are slated to open at a rate of two per year through 2033, with the full ten‑building campus projected to bring annual property‑tax receipts to about $27.8 million by fiscal year 2035, NBC10 Boston reported. The financial model also suggests the average single‑family homeowner could see a tax reduction of approximately $5,800 per year by FY2035, offsetting a projected structural budget deficit that could reach $9.1 million by FY2033 without the project.
While the potential fiscal relief is significant, Sutton residents have raised a slate of concerns. At a town meeting on Tuesday, neighbors asked about noise, water and electricity usage, generator emissions, traffic congestion, and the cost of additional municipal services. The town’s review flagged water supply, wastewater, noise, lighting, traffic and emergency‑response capacity as issues needing further study. “I have a 3‑year‑old grandson,” longtime resident Mario Giamie told NBC10 Boston, “and I’m not going to subject him to this if I can fight it, and I will fight it.” Town Select Board chair Jonathan Anderson said the proposal is “just the very, very beginning of this,” emphasizing that no final approval has been granted.
Bisnow noted that the Sutton project would be the largest data‑center development in New England and would stand out amid a statewide slowdown in such projects, partly due to limited land and power availability and new regulatory hurdles introduced by Gov. Maura Healey’s September executive order. The proposal follows recent community pushback elsewhere, such as Westfield’s denial of a permit extension for a $4 billion data‑center plan.
Approval of the zoning change will require a Planning Board hearing and a two‑thirds vote at the upcoming Town Meeting. Residents can expect further technical reviews and negotiations over zoning regulations and a community‑benefits agreement before any construction begins.
What’s next: The Planning Board is scheduled to hold a public hearing on the zoning amendment later this month. If the board recommends approval, the proposal will move to Town Meeting, where a two‑thirds majority is needed to adopt the change and allow the project to proceed.
Sources: nbcboston.com, bisnow.com
