Main Line developer Brian O'Neill's MLP Ventures is proposing five data centers totaling more than 4.6 million square feet in King of Prussia's Swedeland section, plus a separate, 2-million-square-foot facility across the Schuylkill River near Conshohocken — a combined footprint larger than Philadelphia International Airport and the King of Prussia Mall combined. At a packed, four-hour Upper Merion Township Planning Commission meeting, O'Neill pitched the project as an AI-powered complement to his existing Discovery Labs life sciences complex, promising significant tax revenue, thousands of jobs, and minimal environmental impact through closed-loop cooling and emissions controls. But hundreds of residents turned out in opposition, and thousands more have signed a petition, citing concerns about noise, pollution and long-term health effects on neighborhoods located as close as 100 feet from proposed sites. Township officials have raised questions about zoning compliance, and while Upper Merion recently enacted a data center ordinance covering noise, water and energy standards, O'Neill's plans were submitted before it took effect — though he says he intends to comply voluntarily. The planning commission is expected to hold several more meetings over the coming months before making a recommendation to the supervisors.
Source: Philadelphia Inquirer; 5/28/2026