$10 Billion AI Data Center To Replace Pennsylvania Golf Course

General shot from above of a golf green with an inset box photo of an AI data center — (Image credit: Getty Images)

A data center worth $10 billion is being built on the site of a popular public golf course in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.

Dauphin Highlands opened during the Labor Day weekend of 1995 and had welcomed countless amateur golfers before opening for the final time on Monday, October 12, 2026.

The 18-hole parkland layout was designed by Bill Love and possesses lovely views of the nearby Susquehanna River, with the land and clubhouse operating as a corporate retreat for Bethlehem Steel Corporation employees in a former life.

However, according to the Dauphin County General Authority - which owned the course - it was steadily losing money over the years and had accrued $13 million of debt, so the decision was made to sell.

When the call was made to put the land on the market, six companies which build data centers submitted proposals - highlighting just how popular and important sites near energy and water sources are at this time.

In the US and UK alone, there could be as many as 6,000 active data centres and that number is only expected to grow in the coming years, meaning more golf courses could be under threat.

The 228-acre plot in central PA was officially sold in December 2025 to Harrisburg I, LLC, which is owned by Dallas-based Provident Realty, for $45.6 million - around 10 times the recorded value of the land.

In an attempt to defend the decision, local government officials argued the deal "will result in tens of millions of dollars worth of community benefits for the local township, including public safety and municipal infrastructure improvements."

Speaking to Golf.com when the sale went through last year, golf-club regulars explained the move was disappointing but understandable in most people's view.

Rick Simonic, who had played at Dauphin Highlands for more than 25 years said: "You can’t fight city hall is kind of how our guys look at it.

“There are other courses in the area; it’s just we’ll lose one of the better ones. We’re kind of resigned to our fate.”

More than 300 people turned out on Monday for one final round, with some of those claiming to be on the tee sheet for opening day more than 30 years ago. A handful of golfers with emotional ties to the course even took away pin flags as a momento.

Another long-time member, Doc Greenlee, told WGAL-TV it will be tough to lose a course he grew up playing on - especially one in such good shape.

A bird's eye view of Dauphin Highlands Golf Club on Google Maps

Greenlee said: "This is like a top-tier public course. Like, you can compare this to a lot of other areas in Pennsylvania… this is up there on layout and conditions and the way they take care of it. So, it's going to be a little bit of a shame to see this go.

"I owe a lot to this course and it's sad to see it go, but it's one of the best in the area by far. It's bittersweet. It's kind of like a funeral out here."

While test drilling has already begun in the area, actual construction of the new data center isn't set to begin until 2027. By that point, there is every chance other golf courses will have begun to suffer the same fate as Dauphin Highlands.

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time.