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April 20-23, 2026
Walter E. Washington Convention CenterWashington, D.C.

2026 Event Schedule

The Federal Land Rush: Will Government Policy Fuel the Continuing AI Boom?

Gene Furst  (Co-Founder and President, Furst Management Consulting)
Jason Smith  (Senior Vice President, Federal & Utility Solutions, Ameresco)
Leslie Beavers  (Former CIO, Department of War | Retired)
Ronald Keenan  (Vice President OCONUS Operations, M.C. Dean, Inc.)
Location: Ballroom C
Date: Tuesday, April 21
Time: 3:00 pm - 3:45 pm
Pass Type: AFCOM Solution Provider, All Access Conference, Industry Conference, Standard Conference - Get your pass now!
Track: Colocation, Hyperscale & Cloud Innovation
Session Type: Conference Session
Vault Recording: TBD
Audience Level: All Audiences

The federal government has opened a new frontier for data center development: federal land. This isn't just a policy change; it's a paradigm shift for the entire industry.

Join an expert panel to explore the unprecedented opportunities and critical challenges of building AI-centric data centers on government property. We will dive into the strategic drivers behind this, from the recent White House Executive Order on accelerating federal permitting to the Department of Energy's pilot RFP.

The discussion will examine two core themes. First, we will dissect the business case for private enterprise, exploring the pros and cons of leveraging federal land for commercial AI requirements. Second, we will focus on the unique demands of government customers, analyzing how industry can meet stringent security and power requirements, particularly those governed by ICD 705—for AI workloads at agencies like the DoD.

Walk away with a clear understanding of this emerging market and how your organization can navigate it to accelerate the future of AI infrastructure.