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A consortium backed by BlackRock and Abu Dhabi-based fund MGX has completed the $40 billion acquisition of North Texas-based Aligned Data Centers.
The Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership (AIP), MGX and BlackRock's Global Infrastructure Partners announced Tuesday that the group acquired 100% equity in the data center firm from private infrastructure funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and its co-investment partners. The deal values Aligned at about $40 billion, which represents one of the largest data center deals ever.
After the closing, the consortium also committed $5 billion to fund Aligned's continued expansion. The deal is AIP's first investment, part of plans to deploy $30 billion of equity capital, with the potential of reaching $100 billion, including debt. Other members backing the Artificial Intelligence Infrastructure Partnership include Microsoft and Nvidia.
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Plano-based Aligned Data Centers is one of the largest and fastest-growing data center developers in the world. The firm has 51 campuses and more than 6.4 gigawatts of operational and planned capacity. The company will keep its headquarters in the Dallas area. Aligned CEO Andrew Schaap and the existing team will continue to lead the firm.
Schaap told The Dallas Morning News in October that the deal will allow Aligned to continue its growth in North Texas and expand into new markets. Aligned has 144 employees and four data centers in the Dallas-Fort Worth.
"When we hear about AI, we think about these West Coast companies ... this investment shows that the foundational layer that's supporting AI and technological growth is happening right here in our backyard in Texas," he said. "I'm a Dallas, Texas guy. ...I've got my boots. I've got my hat."
D-FW ranked as the No. 1 primary data center market in the world, edging out Atlanta and Virginia based on factors like land and power availability as well as political and regulatory conditions. North Texas has more than 10 gigawatts of planned capacity, according to Cushman & Wakefield's 2026 Global Data Center Market Comparison report.
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