Data centers in Cascade County, Montana: 1 project mapped

Imagery: Esri, Maxar

Great Falls' first large data center proposal collapsed before it reached a vote. The Great Falls Development Alliance announced Project Cardinal in June 2025: Atlanta-based Ardent's TAC Data Centers planned a $1 billion to $1.5 billion, 2-million-square-foot campus on 569 acres near the AgriTech park, close to Malmstrom Air Force Base. Ardent asked NorthWestern Energy for 500 to 600 megawatts of power, and by fall 2025 it had withdrawn, saying the timeline for that power did not fit its plans.

"This particular group recognized that the timelines on power from NorthWestern and others just wasn't a good fit," said Jolene Schalper of the development alliance. The land sits outside city limits, so a revived proposal would need annexation and zoning, and the alliance's Brett Doney had cited security next to a nuclear missile base as a factor. The alliance has since formed a data center task force to prepare for another proposal.

On July 28, 2026, the Golden Triangle Resource Council brought Cascade County commissioners a petition of about 250 signatures asking for a county moratorium on data centers until state regulations exist. "We'd prefer to have that done in a public hearing," member Gordon Whirry told commissioners. What happens next: whether commissioners schedule that hearing and act on the moratorium request.

Every project above is drawn from public records, filings and local reporting. Each row links to what it is based on. Statuses change, so check the source date before you rely on one. Found something wrong? Write to [email protected] and it gets fixed.