Data Center Services

Data centers are mission-critical infrastructure and present a convergence of real estate, energy, financing, and environmental challenges unlike most other asset classes. As hyperscale demand accelerates, grid capacity tightens, and development timelines extend, successful data center projects increasingly depend on early alignment of land, power, capital, and regulatory strategy.

HOW WE HELP

Seyfarth is deeply embedded in the data center ecosystem, advising on the issues that increasingly determine whether projects move forward, from permitting and entitlements, power availability (both utility-scale and on-site generation), and capital deployment, to long-term operational scalability. As growth driven by cloud computing, AI, and digital infrastructure collides with grid constraints, environmental scrutiny, and longer development horizons, data center projects are no longer defined by real estate alone.

We serve as trusted advisors on ground-up data center development and build-to-suit leasing projects, with experience that spans land acquisition, entitlement diligence, zoning strategy, environmental review, power procurement, construction, and long-term operations. Our team understands how these projects actually get built—and how they function once live—because we are involved from the earliest site control and permitting stages through delivery and operation. With integrated capabilities across real estate, energy, project development and construction, finance, environmental, and regulatory matters, we deliver a holistic, lifecycle approach. We regularly help clients navigate increasingly complex and contested permitting environments, coordinating land use approvals, environmental review, utility coordination, and stakeholder engagement to keep projects moving.

Power strategy is now a defining factor in the success of most data center developments. We advise on projects supported by traditional utility infrastructure, large-scale grid interconnections, on-site generation, and microgrid arrangements, and we understand how power decisions intersect with permitting risk, development phasing, financing, and long-term operating requirements. Our experience allows us to align power solutions with development schedules and commercial objectives.

Where relevant, we also advise on joint ventures and other collaborative development structures, particularly where ownership, capital, or power arrangements require alignment among developers, users, and infrastructure providers.

OUR SERVICES

Land Control, Permitting & Entitlements

• Site selection, land acquisition, and ground leases for phased campus developments
• Zoning, land use approvals, entitlements, and permitting strategy in increasingly complex regulatory environments
• Environmental review, water usage, and sustainability compliance unique to data center operations

Development, Design & Construction

• Ground-up data center development and phased campus buildouts
• Design and construction agreements and fee development agreements, including contractor arrangements
• Risk allocation across development, construction, and delivery

Power & Energy Infrastructure

• Utility coordination, interconnection agreements, and grid-supplied power arrangements
• On-site generation, microgrids, and hybrid power solutions
• Power purchase agreements (PPAs) and long-term energy procurement strategies aligned with development timelines

Leasing, Operations & Commercial Agreements

• Build-to-suit data center leases
• Colocation, hosting, license and service level agreements (SLAs)
• Telecommunications, rights-of-way, and operational access agreements
• Operator, management, and key vendor agreements

Capital, Transactions & Structuring

• Acquisitions, dispositions, and portfolio transactions involving data center assets
• Joint ventures and other collaborative ownership or development structures
• Construction, term, mezzanine, and revolving credit facilities
• Public-private partnerships and tax incentive negotiations