The Maryland Tech Council’s first-ever Data Center Summit featured a dynamic panel discussion that explored Maryland’s emerging role in the data center industry, emphasizing the state’s strategic advantages and potential for economic growth. Following the summit’s keynote panel, the first panel, moderated by Buddy Rizer, executive director for the department of economic development for Loudoun County, Virginia, was titled “Why Maryland?” Panelists included Dan Golding, Chief Technology Officer at Appleby Strategy Group; Mark Guymon, Vice President of Business Development at Rowan Digital Infrastructure; Eric Luedtke, Chief Legislative Officer in Maryland Governor Wes Moore’s Legislative Office; and Drew Van Dopp, President and Chief Executive Officer at Maryland Broadband Cooperative.
Strategic Positioning and Economic Impact
The panel discussion focused on the reasons Maryland is becoming an attractive location for data centers and highlighted Maryland’s geographical position, which offers significant advantages due to its proximity to major fiber networks and power infrastructure located in Northern Virginia’s rich internet ecosystem.
Rizer shared some historical background, demonstrating his extensive data center industry experience in Virginia: “When I first arrived to work in Loudoun County, about 18 years ago, we had a family economy. Our economy was 81% dependent on residential real estate. So when the housing crisis hit, we started laying people off. We started cutting back services.” As a result, Rizer said, “I was determined to go after data centers and completely changed our economy. As we sit here today, we have been able to lower the tax rate in Loudoun County.”
To answer the question, Why Maryland? Golding added, “when you look at Frederick County, Maryland, you’ve got the power of adjacency. So much of the internet’s fiber capacity, cloud capacity, AI’s fiber capacity cuts right through this area. And so when you add that to smart development policies, when you add that to the power of position, and right now, Maryland has that power position that’s extremely strong, extremely beneficial for data center developments.”
Government and Industry Collaboration
Lukey emphasized the state’s commitment to infrastructure investment as part of its economic growth strategy. “Investments in critical infrastructure, including data centers, are crucial for Maryland’s future,” Lukey stated. He highlighted the state’s focus on becoming a leader in cybersecurity, bioinformatics and aerospace engineering, all of which rely heavily on robust data infrastructure.
Lukey added, “we very much see investments in the basic critical infrastructure of the state as an important element of our growth strategy as a state. We don’t believe that Maryland can continue to position itself as a strong economic actor unless we are inviting folks to invest in infrastructure projects in the state, and data centers are part of that.”
Challenges and Opportunities
Panelists discussed the challenges of power supply and the need for sustainable development. Van Dopp shared that his organization, the Maryland Broadband Cooperative, is a 501(c)(12) not-for-profit, informed by the Tri-County councils, which are economic development entities ensuring that the rural, unserved, and underserved areas of Maryland have access to all the same technology resources and services as the rest of the state. He stressed the importance of digital equity and the role of broadband in supporting data center growth. “We are in the business of yes and more,” Van Dopp remarked, emphasizing the cooperative’s commitment to expanding digital access across Maryland. Van Dopp also disclosed that currently, “Maryland Broadband has 2,526 miles of cable resources that stretch from Ocean City to Deep Creek Lake, Baltimore, College Park, and Hagerstown. We have 19 points of presence in 19 Maryland counties.”
Community Engagement and Sustainable Development
The panel also addressed the importance of community engagement and sustainable practices in data center development. Mark Guymon shared more information about Rowan Digital Infrastructure’s focus on sustainability and engaging with local communities in the company’s function as a hyperscale developer of data centers with capacity of 200-300 plus megawatts. He highlighted the need for larger parcels of land to accommodate environmentally friendly designs and community integration.
“Maryland has a chance to do something truly amazing,” Guymon said. “It’s about building data centers that not only drive economic growth but also enhance community and environmental well-being.” He emphasized that acquiring larger land parcels for data centers “gives us more flexibility in how to position the property within the site, so we can take the sound sources and try to do the best to engineer those so that it’s less intrusive on the community.”
Looking Ahead to a Bright Future
On behalf of the State of Maryland, Lukey underscored the importance of data center developments. “Data centers, done right, are partners … because when you look at our overall economy, and you know what is going to drive our economy going forward, about $8.75 trillion of the US economy is going to be dependent on data centers and digital infrastructure.”
Rizer emphasized how his family personally benefited from the data center boon in Loudoun County: “I have a son who just started ninth grade in the Loudoun County public schools. His school is amazing. The school system is fully funded. What I mean by fully funded, I don’t mean like some kind of negotiation. I mean it’s fully funded. If they need money for something, they get the money. And that’s a pretty awesome thing for residents. They went from having very average to a mediocre public school system 20 years ago to, you know, probably the best school system in the entire state at this point.”
Van Dopp summed up the moment most succinctly: “I can’t think of an industry or an opportunity that has a greater potential impact on the lives of Marylanders than what we’re talking about today.”
As the data center industry continues to evolve, Maryland is poised to capitalize on its strategic advantages. The panel concluded with a call for continued collaboration between government, industry and communities to ensure sustainable and inclusive growth.
