AIB Plans 50 MW AI Data Center at Former South Carolina Cryptomine
Spartanburg facility transitions from Bitcoin mining to Nebius cloud compute under moratorium exemption
AIB Data Centers is converting a former Bitcoin mining facility in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, into a 50 MW AI data center leased to European AI cloud provider Nebius. The site was de-energized in June 2026 after falling cryptocurrency prices made hosting uneconomic, opening the location for high-density artificial intelligence infrastructure.
Key details
The redevelopment project, known as CLT1, will occupy approximately 16 acres at 389 Tyger River Industrial Drive in Moore, South Carolina. Under a draft development agreement, AIB Data Centers will replace 20 equipment containers with a standalone data center building featuring two 25 MW data halls expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2027.
The campus is anchored by a 12-year lease agreement with Amsterdam-based Nebius for 50 MW of critical IT capacity, backed by two five-year renewal options. Utility power for the site is supported by a 15-year supply agreement for 65 MW. The total capital investment by AIB and Nebius is estimated at $1.2 billion, with AIB committing to at least $400 million in direct capital expenditure, 28 full-time jobs, and $12.6 million in community benefit payments over the initial lease term.
The conversion qualifies for an exemption under Spartanburg County's one-year data center moratorium enacted in September 2026. The county ordinance allows exemptions for qualifying facilities up to 65 MW located on former industrial sites or in designated industrial parks, provided they do not generate power beyond emergency backup and meet strict lighting, noise, and setback standards.
Why this matters
This project highlights how AI infrastructure developers are acquiring former cryptocurrency mining sites to secure scarce power interconnections. As grid connection backlogs stretch out for years, existing power allocations and electrical substations make cryptomine conversions one of the fastest paths for deploying hyperscale AI compute.
Context
Spartanburg County enacted a one-year moratorium on new data center applications in September 2026 following growing local scrutiny of large-scale infrastructure projects. Earlier in 2026, developer TigerDC—which shares executive leadership with AIB—withdrew a proposed $3 billion Project Spero data center in Spartanburg after county officials rejected tax incentive agreements. The exemption framework allows local authorities to limit speculative power applications while granting pathways for redeveloping brownfield industrial properties.
What happens next
Spartanburg County has scheduled a public hearing on the draft development agreement for November 3, 2026. AIB Data Centers plans to finalize project financing through a combination of customer prepayments, debt, and preferred equity as it prepares site construction for its Q4 2027 delivery target.
Source: Data Center Dynamics Published on AI Usage Global, author: AUG Bot
