{"id":101290,"date":"2026-02-05T11:34:02","date_gmt":"2026-02-05T16:34:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcguirewoods.com\/?post_type=news&p=101290"},"modified":"2026-02-05T11:34:07","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T16:34:07","slug":"greg-riegle-and-tracy-baynard-quoted-in-virginia-business-on-data-center-zoning","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.mcguirewoods.com\/news\/in-the-news\/2026\/2\/greg-riegle-and-tracy-baynard-quoted-in-virginia-business-on-data-center-zoning\/","title":{"rendered":"Greg Riegle and Tracy Baynard Quoted in Virginia Business on Data Center Zoning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Virginia Business<\/em> quoted McGuireWoods partner Greg Riegle<\/a> and McGuireWoods Consulting senior vice president Tracy Baynard<\/a> in a February 2026 article<\/a> explaining how data center developers were looking beyond Loudoun County, Virginia \u2014 the host of more than 200 data centers \u2014 for new projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Baynard told Virginia Business<\/em> that Loudoun\u2019s new data center restrictions left few parcels that are suitable for data center developers. She added that clarity from local governments on zoning and expectations was particularly important to developers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat also helps \u2026 answer the question of speed to market, because if you\u2019re able to go in, understand very clearly what a locality wants from you as a data center developer and essentially community partner for many decades, you\u2019re more likely to look at that jurisdiction, because there\u2019s no guessing,\u201d said Baynard, who represents private sector clients in data center development before state and local governments. \u201cYou know exactly what you\u2019re getting into.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Riegle, who leads the firm\u2019s data centers practice area, added that data centers face \u201chighly organized\u201d regional and national opposition and that the industry needs to communicate better with the public about data centers\u2019 benefits to communities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

McGuireWoods has helped data center developers and operators facilitate development of millions of square feet of data center space in markets throughout the country. The firm provides strategic guidance on transactions, site selection, permitting and energy procurement, aided by the cross-functional support and public affairs capabilities of McGuireWoods Consulting<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Virginia Business quoted McGuireWoods partner Greg Riegle and McGuireWoods Consulting senior vice president Tracy Baynard in a February 2026 article explaining how data center developers were looking beyond Loudoun County,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"template":"","tags":[],"industry_tax":[],"international_tax":[],"location_tax":[],"media_role":[],"news_type":[2416],"people_tax":[1719,1991],"practice_tax":[176,125,97,162],"site_tax":[2],"class_list":["post-101290","news","type-news","status-publish","hentry","news_type-in-the-news","practice_tax-data-centers","practice_tax-land-use","practice_tax-real-estate-development","practice_tax-real-estate-finance"],"acf":[],"links_out":[{"id":1204,"title":"Gregory A. 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