MAJOR TECH EXPANSION: Riot Platforms and Anthropic Sign Historic $9.1 Billion AI Infrastructure Deal for Rockdale Campus

ROCKDALE, TX — In a landmark development for Milam County and the Central Texas tech corridor, digital infrastructure giant Riot Platforms has finalized a 20-year, $9.1 billion data center lease agreement with premier artificial intelligence research lab Anthropic at its flagship campus in Rockdale.
The multi-billion-dollar deal—which includes extension options that could push the total value to $16.1 billion through 2058—secures 191 megawatts (MW) of critical computing power for Anthropic, creator of the widely used Claude AI platform.

A Phased Buildout in Milam County

Under the terms of the agreement disclosed in Riot’s Q2 financial reporting, the infrastructure expansion will take place in two main phases:

• Phase 1: The initial 96 MW of capacity is scheduled to go live by December 2027.
  
• Phase 2: The remaining 95 MW is targeted to come online by June 2028.
  

Riot will construct, fit out, and operate the specialized facilities according to custom specifications, providing the physical building, power connections, cooling systems, and site maintenance. Anthropic will supply its own proprietary server hardware and AI computing chips.
The 191 MW allocated in this single transaction represents a massive power demand—roughly equivalent to the electricity required to power more than 140,000 residential homes.

From Bitcoin Mining to AI Capital of Central Texas

The agreement marks a dramatic acceleration in the transition of Milam County’s industrial footprint. Riot Platforms, originally known primarily for its large-scale Bitcoin mining operations at the former Alcoa site in Rockdale, has increasingly pivoted toward high-performance computing (HPC) and artificial intelligence workloads.
With the addition of Anthropic, Riot now has 241 MW of data center capacity contracted to major technology tenants in Rockdale, following a series of hosting leases signed with semiconductor leader AMD. Combined, these tenant agreements represent nearly $10 billion in long-term committed revenue for the Rockdale facility.
"This landmark agreement underscores the immense value of our power infrastructure and operational capabilities at Rockdale," Riot noted in its corporate financial updates. "It positions our site at the forefront of the global demand for AI-driven high-density compute power."

What It Means for the Local Community

For local residents and Milam County leaders, the deal solidifies the area's reputation as an emerging hub for the global technology and AI supply chain, bridging the gap between Austin’s tech sector and local industrial power capacity.
Riot’s 700 MW Rockdale campus already employs approximately 250 full-time local workers. While exact staffing additions for the new Anthropic facilities have not yet been announced, the multi-year construction pipeline and ongoing site operations are expected to deliver substantial economic activity, tax base expansion, and specialized job opportunities to the immediate area through 2048 and beyond.