Nexus Data Centers has quietly lined up state paperwork for a roughly $400 million data center on the outskirts of Hubbard, the small Hill County town south of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex that is suddenly on the radar of big tech and AI players. The initial filing shows nearly 500,000 square feet of data hall space under the name Nexus - Apex DFW HB1, with construction penciled in from early 2026 into the fall of 2027. Industry trackers and permitting records tie this single building to a much larger campus concept that includes behind-the-meter natural-gas power generation and reported interest from major AI customers.
What the company filed
According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, Nexus registered Project TABS2026022673 as "Nexus - Apex DFW HB1" at 357 HCR 3372 in Hubbard. The record lists Building 1 at an estimated cost of $400,000,000, with 491,378 square feet of space and construction dates running from January 6, 2026, through October 29, 2027. Nexus Data Centers Hubbard LLC and HDR Engineering are named as contacts for the project.
Industry context and likely customers
According to Data Center Dynamics, the Hubbard building is one piece of a much larger hyperscale campus that industry reporting has connected to AI company Anthropic, with the site reported to receive financial backing from Google. Those early accounts track with prior filings and industry monitoring that flagged Hubbard as a strategic location for providers that want to lock in on-site power for heavy AI workloads.
Power and environmental permits
According to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, an affiliated entity called Nexus Hubbard Power, LLC has submitted permit materials describing about 612.93 MW of baseload natural-gas generation and roughly 152.75 MW of emergency diesel generation at the site. The agency's plain-language summary notes that "The data center does not sell power to the grid" and lays out pollutant and greenhouse-gas estimates that state regulators will review during their technical evaluation.
Financing and campus scale
In March, Eagle Point Credit Management said it had closed the second of two senior secured credit financings for Nexus Apex Holdings to back development of a large campus, a move the firm framed in a Business Wire release as intended to speed up construction and near-term power availability. Industry filings and those financing disclosures describe the broader Hubbard project as a multi-thousand-acre campus with behind-the-meter energy infrastructure aimed at serving high-density compute.
Local reaction and county process
Hill County commissioners signed off on a reinvestment zone for the project in February, but Nexus subsequently pulled its county tax-abatement request, leaving officials and some residents taken aback, according to The Lakelander. Neighbors have repeatedly pressed for answers on water use, noise, and potential health impacts at public hearings, and local TV coverage from 25 News quoted residents and noted the station received no immediate comment from Nexus when it asked about the withdrawal.
What’s next
With the TDLR registration filed and the TCEQ review already underway, the next phase for Hubbard hinges on public-notice periods, county agendas, and pending permit decisions that will determine whether the site moves beyond early prep into full-scale construction. Regulators, county officials, and residents are watching the financing details, environmental reviews, and upcoming community meetings to see how the development, pitched as an AI-scale campus, advances in the months ahead.
