What We Learned at the 2026 Realtor Land Institute Conference (San Antonio, TX)

Over the past few days, Lee McMinn attended the Realtor Land Institute conference in San Antonio, Texas, where one theme stood out loud and clear:

The future of land is being reshaped by infrastructure—especially data centers and AI. While it may not now be a big thing in the area served by McMinn Realty. It is already impacting the State of Mississippi. 

A Market Changing Faster Than Most Realize

One of the most eye-opening sessions focused on the explosive growth of data centers. Just a few years ago, a 50–100 megawatt facility was considered large. Today, developers are planning 1 to 3 gigawatt campuses—each capable of consuming as much power as a major U.S. city.

That kind of scale is being driven by one force: artificial intelligence.

Industry experts described AI as potentially “the next version of electricity,” and we’re still early. The U.S. is only in the “third inning,” while globally, the game has barely started.

The Numbers Behind the Surge

• 44 gigawatts of data center capacity currently live in the U.S.

• 25 gigawatts under construction (doubling in just 6 months)

• 200 gigawatts in the pipeline across the Americas

• Global data creation projected to jump from 25 zettabytes (2020) to 175 zettabytes (2025)

Yet here’s the catch:
👉 Only about 2% of potential sites are actually viable for development.

That’s where land expertise becomes critical.

What Makes Land Valuable in This New Era

For these large-scale projects, land value is no longer just about location—it’s about infrastructure readiness.

Key factors include:

• Power access (non-negotiable): proximity to 115–345 kV transmission lines

• Utility commitment: a “will serve” letter confirming capacity

• Fiber connectivity: for high-speed data transfer

• Water resources: especially for AI training facilities (though new cooling systems are reducing usage)

Interestingly, land cost itself is often a small piece of the equation—sometimes described as a “rounding error” in billion-dollar developments.

Pricing & Scale Are Rewriting the Playbook

• Land tied to power can command pricing based on megawatts, not acres

• ~$100,000 per megawatt is common

• Premium markets (like Northern Virginia) can exceed $500,000 per megawatt

• Recent deals have reached $1M+ per acre in Texas and $4M+ per acre in Virginia

And these projects often require 1,000+ acres.

What This Means for Landowners & Brokers

This isn’t just a trend—it’s a shift in how land is evaluated, marketed, and sold.

Some key takeaways:

• Relationships and technical knowledge are becoming just as important as traditional brokerage skills

• Specialized “powered land” teams are emerging nationwide

• There are real risks—especially with poorly structured option agreements that don’t protect landowners

• Opportunities extend beyond sales into long-term economic development and job creation (300+ jobs per major site)

Bringing It Back Home

For markets like North Mississippi, this raises an important question:

Where do we already have the ingredients—land, power, and connectivity—to participate in this next wave?

Because while not every tract will qualify, the ones that do could represent generational opportunities.

We’ll be continuing to study these trends and looking closely at how they apply to our region and our clients. If you own land or are thinking about selling, the landscape is changing—and it may be worth a fresh conversation.

— McMinn Realty