For Data Center Contracts, It’s All About the Fine Print
Date Posted: October 7, 2025
Posted In: Discussion, Ideas,
From Construction Dive: From the outside, a data center structure looks like a simple warehouse. Its construction contract would reveal a different story.
Data center construction is booming in the U.S. Contractors on the ground report being buried in early-stage activity, even amid concerns of a slowdown.
For example, Apple unveiled plans earlier this summer to invest at least $20 billion on two data centers in Pennsylvania. Hyperscaler CoreWeave also recently selected a joint venture of New York City-based Turner Construction and Wohlsen Construction of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, to build its $6 billion facility.
Simple… Or Not?
For contractors looking to get in on the action, the math is simple. Win a data center award, collect a large check. Landing the right contract, though, is anything but simple.
“Data center projects tend to be relatively simple structures with really sophisticated power and utility needs and really unique equipment requirements,” said Andrew Greene, office managing partner in the Seattle office of law firm Perkins Coie. “From a risk management standpoint, it’s more dealing with supply chain issues, dealing with labor issues.”