TenKey LandCo I, LLC: Franklin Data Center

TenKey Data Center / Gateway 65 North in Franklin, Kentucky is a planned data storage and service center proposed by TenKey LandCo I LLC on a 200-acre site near I-65 and Steele Road. The project is planned for three 200,000-square-foot data center facilities with on-site power generation, placing it among the largest proposed digital infrastructure developments in southern Kentucky. The campus is tied to the Gateway 65 North development and is positioned for AI, enterprise compute, and large-scale server infrastructure requiring dedicated power and phased campus delivery.

The planned campus covers approximately 200 acres and is associated with a multi-billion-dollar private investment. OTN Group describes the project as a $6 billion private investment with no tax incentives requested, while local reporting has also referenced per-facility investment estimates. The project site is zoned Heavy Industrial, and the developer’s public materials state that the facility will generate electricity on site and use a closed-loop cooling system. The Franklin Planning and Zoning Commission approved a preliminary development plan in March 2026, but that approval does not authorize construction.

Franklin provides a southern Kentucky location near the Tennessee border, I-65, Simpson County industrial corridors, and the Nashville-to-Louisville logistics corridor. The project remains in a contested planning and legal phase. Simpson County passed an ordinance requiring a conditional use permit for data centers and integrated energy systems, and litigation has followed from both the developer and local opponents. TenKey should be treated as planned until final approvals, permits, construction authorization, and operating specifications are confirmed.

🏢 Facility Highlights

1. Development Status: Planned
2. Campus Location: Gateway 65 North, Franklin, Kentucky
3. Site Area: Approximately 200 acres
4. Planned Buildings: Three data center facilities
5. Planned Building Size: 200,000 sq ft per facility
6. Total Planned Building Area: 600,000 sq ft
7. Zoning: Heavy Industrial
8. Power Strategy: On-site power generation

🌱 Sustainability & Energy

1. Power Model: On-site power generation planned
2. Grid Position: Public materials state no impact on local power grid capacity
3. Cooling Strategy: Closed-loop cooling system planned
4. Utility Review: Final energy and operating details remain subject to approval and permitting

🧠 AI Infrastructure

1. Target Use Case: AI data center campus
2. Compute Model: Large-scale server infrastructure and digital storage workloads
3. Campus Design: Three-building phased development on a large industrial site

🏗️ Recent Expansions

1. January 2026: Preliminary development plan was tabled during local review.
2. March 2026: Franklin Planning and Zoning Commission approved the preliminary development plan.
3. April 2026: A second lawsuit was filed seeking to overturn the preliminary approval.
4. Current Status: Planned project with approvals, permitting, and litigation items unresolved.