Loudoun Supervisor Launches Board Chair Campaign With Data Center Expansion at Center of Fight

LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Loudoun County Supervisor Juli Briskman announced Tuesday that she will run for chair of the county Board of Supervisors, launching a campaign centered heavily on one of Northern Virginia’s most contentious issues: the rapid expansion of data centers.

Briskman, who represents the Algonkian District, said controlling further data-center development would be a top priority of her campaign. Her entry creates the possibility of a Democratic primary contest with current Board Chair Phyllis Randall, who has led the board for nearly 11 years but has not formally announced whether she will seek another term.

Loudoun has become one of the most important data-center markets in the world. A county report cited by WTOP says the county has 209 completed data-center buildings, with additional facilities under construction. The industry also generates enormous tax revenue: data centers produced approximately $875 million in actual tax revenue during fiscal 2024, according to the county Department of Economic Development.

That financial benefit has increasingly collided with concerns about land use, electricity infrastructure, transmission lines and development near residential communities.

Briskman argues that Loudoun needs tighter control over where data centers can be built and says county leadership has been too accommodating toward the industry. Randall, responding to the campaign announcement, said residents have the right to choose among candidates and that her current focus remains on governing and addressing issues before the county.

The political fight comes as major technology companies continue pursuing projects in Loudoun. Amazon recently submitted plans involving four proposed data-center buildings on the former George Washington University Virginia Science and Technology Campus in Ashburn. That project alone has intensified opposition from residents concerned about additional large-scale development near homes, parks and the Potomac River.

The issue presents Loudoun with a complicated choice. Data centers provide a huge tax base that supports county government and public services, but residents increasingly question how much additional industrial-scale development Northern Virginia communities can absorb.

Briskman’s announcement ensures that the debate will not remain merely a zoning dispute. It is now becoming a central political issue heading toward Loudoun County’s next local election.