[Audio] The AI land grab In Northern Virginia

Everyone’s watching software stocks — but the real AI story is being written in dirt, power lines, and industrial cooling systems. In this episode, we pull back the curtain on the AI land grab reshaping North America’s physical landscape, and the infrastructure supply chain that almost nobody is talking about.We cover:* Why Northern Virginia’s Data Center Alley handles 70% of global internet traffic — and why that concentration is creating a fierce battle between homes for people and homes for servers* The Stanley Martin land flip: a 270-acre site bought for $50M, sold to Amazon Data Services for $700M — a nearly 1,400% return that explains exactly why residential development is losing* The power crisis: Dominion Energy’s queue sits at 70,000 megawatts, with some hyperscalers facing 7-year wait times just to get a utility hookup* The nuclear renaissance: why SMR companies like Oklo and Uranium Energy are surging as tech giants pursue behind-the-meter power to bypass the grid entirely* The thermal management gold rush: why Vertiv’s liquid cooling systems, Eaton’s bus bar technology, and Corning’s fiber optics are the quiet winners of the AI buildout* Corning’s stunning demand signal: a deal reserving 10% of their entire global fiber capacity for two years — for AI workloads alone* Where the land grab goes next: Virginia’s zoning is tightening and residents are pushing back, putting Texas firmly in the crosshairsClosing thought: As AI scales, the question isn’t just about the code — it’s whether our physical world can build the machinery fast enough to keep up.You can support our publication and podcast by upgrading your subscription…Gold Circle members receive up to 20 Analyst Reports each year.* Broadcom ($AVGO) Analyst Report, $649 (comes with Gold Circle subscription)* 13 pages, across 9 sections, from Executive Summary to Q1 FY2026 Financial Performance and Key Risks & ConsiderationsAnalyst Reports speak for themselves—and are worth the price of admission. Don’t miss our next one. Become Gold Circle member.© Openfieldbook, publishing 5 days a week, am.Read the research here; powered by Gemini Get full access to Open Fieldbook at openfieldbook.substack.com/subscribe