Morris Technology Park — Data Center Campus, Morris
Off I-80 and Highway 6, Morris, IL (Grundy County) — ~50 miles from Midway Airport, ~65 miles southwest of downtown Chicago
Summary
A Colorado-based land developer, Tract, acquired a 343-acre site off I-80 and Highway 6 in Morris, Illinois for approximately $51.5 million from an affiliate of Clarius Partners. Tract plans to develop the land into the Morris Technology Park — a 2.9 million-square-foot data center campus designed to support up to 1 gigawatt of power load, ranking among the largest planned in the Midwest. Initial energization is targeted for June 2028, with full load ramping up by 2032.
On April 20, 2026, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved a Transmission Security Agreement (TSA) between Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) and Tract to supply up to 1 GW of power to the campus on an accelerated timeline. The TSA includes committed revenue contributions, minimum usage commitments, and shortfall payments for underperformance — a framework designed to ensure large-load data centers cover transmission upgrade costs without shifting those costs to smaller customers.
The project was developed in close coordination with the City of Morris and the Illinois Economic Development Corporation. The City of Morris approved the infrastructure plan in 2025; Morris Alderman Alex Clubb voted against it, citing concerns about water usage and the potential need for a new city water facility. Mayor Chris Brown has said the city is in 'good shape' on water and is exploring construction of a larger facility to support long-term growth.
Tract's business model is to assemble raw land, secure zoning and entitlements, build out heavy infrastructure — power, fiber, roads, water, and sewer — and then sell or lease sites to hyperscalers such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. The Morris campus marks Tract's first entry into the Chicago market, adding to a national portfolio of more than 25 gigawatts of planned capacity across 25,000 acres. Tract estimates the campus would generate more than 1,000 construction jobs and approximately 350 permanent positions for a city of roughly 14,600 residents.
Key Facts
Total Site
343 acres off I-80, Morris, IL (Grundy County)
Gross Floor Area
~2.9 million sq ft
Power Capacity
Up to 1 gigawatt (1 GW)
Land Purchase Price
~$51.5 million (from affiliate of Clarius Partners)
Target Tenants
Hyperscalers — Amazon, Google, Microsoft and similar
Initial Energization
June 2028 (targeted)
Full Load
2032 (targeted)
Permanent Jobs
~350 permanent positions
Construction Jobs
More than 1,000
Power Agreement
Transmission Security Agreement (TSA) with ComEd — approved by FERC April 20, 2026
TSA Provisions
Committed revenue contributions, minimum usage commitments, shortfall payments for underperformance
Developer Infrastructure Spend (typical)
$100–$150 million per site (Tract's stated model)
* Projected figures from Village of Minooka fact sheet.
Timeline of Events
April 20, 2026
FERC approves Transmission Security Agreement (TSA) between ComEd and Tract
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
FERC approved the TSA between Commonwealth Edison and Tract to supply up to 1 GW of power on an accelerated timeline. The agreement includes provisions to ensure large-load data centers cover the costs of transmission upgrades needed to support the campus: committed revenue contributions, minimum usage commitments, and shortfall payments for underperformance. ComEd president and CEO Gil Quiniones stated: 'FERC's recent approval of Transmission Security Agreements highlights the value of partnering with customers like Tract, who share our commitment to protecting ComEd customers from cost-shifting, while supporting responsible growth across northern Illinois.' Reported by Data Center Dynamics (Zachary Skidmore) on April 20, 2026.
January 2026
Tract acquisition of 343-acre site publicly reported
Tract / Avison Young (brokerage)
Tract's affiliate closed on the 343-acre I-80/Highway 6 site for approximately $51.5 million. Seller was an affiliate of Clarius Partners. Avison Young's Michael Fonda, Adam Haefner, and Howard Berry represented Clarius Partners and assisted with marketing the land. Tract President Graham Williams stated: 'We were impressed with the foresight and proactive approach of the Morris community leaders in preparing a fully annexed and zoned economic development site suitable for a data center campus of this size.' The announcement confirmed the project name (Morris Technology Park), the 1 GW power target, and Tract's first entry into the Chicago market. Bisnow (Ryan Wangman) and The Real Deal both reported the acquisition in late January 2026.
August 2025
City of Morris approves infrastructure plan
City of Morris
The City of Morris approved Tract's infrastructure plan for the Morris Technology Park. At a Morris City Council meeting in August 2025, Aindrea Hogan (VP of Development, Grundy Economic Development Council) testified that advancements in technology have led to significant improvements in data centers' water and power efficiency, and that data centers do not generate significant truck traffic. Alderman Alex Clubb voted against the plan, citing concerns about the amount of water the data center would need relative to the city's current utilization rate and the possibility that the city may have to partially fund a new water facility. Mayor Chris Brown subsequently told WCSJ that the city is in 'good shape' with its water supply and is considering building a large water facility to support long-term growth.
2024–2025
Transmission Security Agreement negotiated with ComEd; submitted to FERC
Tract / Commonwealth Edison (ComEd)
Tract negotiated a Transmission Security Agreement with ComEd covering up to 1 GW of power capacity. The TSA was subsequently submitted to FERC for approval (approved April 20, 2026). The project also involved coordination with the Illinois Economic Development Corporation.
How Officials Voted
| Official | Title | Vote | Date | Meeting |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Clubb | Alderman, City of Morris | No | August 2025 | City of Morris — infrastructure plan for Morris Technology Park |
| Chris Brown | Mayor, City of Morris | Yes (supportive) | August 2025 | City of Morris — infrastructure plan for Morris Technology Park |
Incentive Agreements
No incentive agreements recorded yet.
Documents Library
| Document | Type | Date | Source | Link |
|---|
Resources & Coverage
Reports FERC's approval of the Transmission Security Agreement (TSA) between ComEd and Tract for up to 1 GW of power on an accelerated timeline. Details the TSA's consumer-protection provisions: committed revenue contributions, minimum usage commitments, and shortfall payments for underperformance. Includes a quote from ComEd president and CEO Gil Quiniones. Notes Tract was founded by former Cologix CEO Grant van Rooyen and has 25+ GW of planned capacity across 25,000+ acres nationally, with campuses exceeding 1 GW in Arizona, Iowa, Nevada, Texas, Utah, and Virginia.
In-depth coverage of the Tract acquisition and Morris Technology Park plans. Reports the $51.5 million purchase price from an affiliate of Clarius Partners and situates the project in the broader context of suburban Chicago's data center debate — citing the withdrawal of the Brennan Investment Group proposal in Barrington Hills and the rejection of Karis Critical's proposal in Naperville. Notes Tract's national portfolio of 25+ GW across 25,000 acres.
Official press release from Tract announcing the acquisition of the 343-acre I-80 site in Morris and the planned 1 GW Morris Technology Park campus. Confirms energization target of June 2028 and full load by 2032. Quotes Tract President Graham Williams on the ComEd transmission security agreement and multi-year coordination with the City of Morris and Illinois Economic Development Corporation.
Covers the land acquisition and Morris Technology Park plans. Quotes Tract President Graham Williams: 'We were impressed with the foresight and proactive approach of the Morris community leaders in preparing a fully annexed and zoned economic development site suitable for a data center campus of this size.' Names Avison Young brokers Michael Fonda, Adam Haefner, and Howard Berry as representing Clarius Partners in the sale. Notes Aindrea Hogan (VP of Development, Grundy Economic Development Council) testified at a Morris City Council meeting in August 2025 about data center efficiency improvements and low truck traffic. Contrasts the Morris approval with Naperville's concurrent rejection of a 145K SF / 36 MW proposal from Karis Critical.
Trade publication coverage of the land transaction. Avison Young facilitated the sale of the 343-acre parcel in Morris to a Tract affiliate. Provides detail on the brokerage side of the acquisition and the site's location off I-80 in Grundy County.