Data Center Investment Conference & Expo (DICE) Ohio
TURNING THE STATE'S POWER ADVANTAGE AND CONSTRUCTION PIPELINE INTO SCALABLE, INVESTMENT‑READY DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Part of the Bisnow DICE Series
Event Ended On: Thursday June 18 2026
Registration Questions?
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What is the Bisnow DICE Series?
DICE (Data Centers Investment Conference & Expo) is Bisnow's dedicated conference series for the data center industry. Each event convenes the developers, investors, operators and infrastructure providers actively shaping data center growth in that market, with programming built around the deals, challenges and opportunities specific to the region or topic. View all upcoming DICE events here!
Are you an end user?
Hyperscalers, colocation providers (non-sales), investors, private equity, or enterprise tenants - email adam.knobloch@bisnow.com to be considered for a complimentary pass.
Speakers and Panels
Site to Shovel: Development Strategy that Yields Benefits for Local Communities
From Blueprint to Build: Best Practices for Physical Security Throughout Development
Building the Infrastructure: Construction Delivery, Power Systems and Resilience
Juan Vasquez
Jim Summers
Mihir Nandkeolyar
Bobby Nikolaus
High‑Density in the Real World: Operating AI‑Ready Facilities Day Two and Beyond
Priyank Vekaria
Brian Merriman
Why You Can't Miss this Data Center Conference
What You'll Learn:
- How Ohio developers and operators are choosing sites that align competitive power pricing, robust fiber routes and realistic grid capacity in a tightening PJM environment.
- What the most effective playbooks are for navigating local permitting, community expectations and workforce constraints while keeping large campuses on credible delivery timelines.
- How leading teams in Ohio are using modular and prefabricated delivery to cut construction schedules by months while maintaining safety, quality and scalability.
- Which power and resiliency architectures are proving most effective as AI and high‑density loads collide with grid constraints and rising energy costs.
- How owners, utilities and regulators are structuring power agreements and capacity commitments so growth doesn’t push costs onto ratepayers or jeopardize grid reliability.
- What practical tactics GCs, engineers and trade partners are using to manage supply chain risk, long‑lead equipment and field coordination on Ohio data center builds.
- How operators are hard‑wiring resilience into their infrastructure—from backup systems and microgrids to monitoring and controls—to stay ahead of grid volatility.
- Where construction, power planning and operational standards are likely headed over the next 3–5 years as Ohio’s data center market scales and AI demand accelerates.
How You’ll Do More Business From Attending This Conference:
- You’ll gain clear, market‑specific insight into how Ohio’s leading developers, operators and partners are structuring projects, power strategies and delivery models to win in a fast‑growing but constrained environment.
- You’ll leave with concrete ideas on how to pick the right sites, design and deliver campuses faster with modular and prefab approaches, and negotiate power and resiliency strategies that protect margins while meeting customer expectations.
- That combination of market intelligence and practical playbooks will help you differentiate your platform, de‑risk your pipeline and convert opportunities into long‑term customer relationships.
Who You’ll Network With:
- Developers, Owners & Operators — leaders planning, entitling and delivering the next wave of capacity across Central and Northeast Ohio.
- Construction & Design Professionals — architects, engineers, GCs, modular specialists and trade partners raising the bar on speed, coordination and build quality.
- Utility & Infrastructure Partners — grid operators, utility planners and energy service providers working to reconcile large‑load growth with real‑world constraints.
- Investors & Financial Partners — capital providers and infrastructure investors focused on risk, returns and the long‑term value of Ohio data center assets.
- Technology & Solution Providers — innovators in power, resiliency, monitoring, automation and infrastructure optimization supporting ever‑rising workloads.
- Policy, ESG & Community Stakeholders — voices shaping permitting processes, community expectations and sustainability standards around large‑scale developments.
Why You Should Attend DICE Ohio:
DICE Ohio is the must‑attend gathering for anyone navigating the state’s rapid rise as a strategic data center hub amid mounting power and delivery pressures. With an agenda focused on Ohio‑specific market momentum, construction and design tactics, and power‑under‑pressure realities, you’ll get an insider’s view of how leading players are turning the state’s advantages into bankable, scalable infrastructure. Whether you’re planning your first project in Ohio or expanding an established footprint, you’ll leave with sharper site strategies, faster build approaches and clearer power and resiliency playbooks—plus the relationships you need to turn those insights into your next deals.
Relevant News and Developments:
- Ohio’s Data Center Power Plan: Make Users Pay, Not Homeowners
- Uncertain Data Center Demand Could Be Driving Higher Ohio Electric Bills, Report Warns
- PJM Warns Data Centers Could Strain Electric Grid in Ohio and West Virginia
- Top 10 Data Center Construction Trends in 2026
- 2026 Predictions: AI Sparks Data Center Power Revolution
- 2026’s Perfect Storm: AI Growth vs. Power Availability
- AI Data Center Stabilization Becomes a Priority for 2026
- How Construction Firms Deliver Complex Data Centers in 2026
- Key Data Center Construction Trends in 2026
- Building Faster: Inside the Rise of Prefabricated Data Centers
- Grid Operator in Ohio Warns of Electricity Crunch as Data Centers Boost Demand
Are you an end user*?
Email adam.knobloch@bisnow.com to be considered for a complimentary pass. *Hyperscaler, colocation provider (non-sales), investor, private equity, or enterprise tenant.
For questions or interests in becoming a speaker or sponsor, please email our global director, data centers, Adam Knobloch, at adam.knobloch@bisnow.com
To request disability-related accommodations, please contact ally.araco@bisnow.com no later than seven business days prior to the event.
Venue
Sonesta Columbus Downtown
33 E Nationwide Blvd
Columbus OH 43215
Ballroom/Floor: 2nd floor, Muirfield Ballroom + Scioto Jr Ballroom
Looking to save on your stay?
Save on your stay near the event venue! Enjoy convenience, comfort, and special rates—book now while availability lasts HERE.
Agenda
| Time | Activity |
|---|---|
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7:30 AM 8:55 AM |
Registration, Breakfast, and Networking
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8:55 AM 9:00 AM |
Opening Remarks
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9:00 AM 9:45 AM |
Site to Shovel: Development Strategy that Yields Benefits for Local Communities
Before a single foundation is poured, data center development hinges on decisions that can compress timelines or kill projects entirely. Site selection, land acquisition, utility coordination and early-stage power contracting set the ceiling for everything that follows. With available land thinning in major markets and interconnection queues stretching years out, developers and land teams are making increasingly complex tradeoffs before construction ever begins. What does smart pre-development look like in today's constrained environment, and how are teams positioning sites to move faster once capital is committed?
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9:45 AM 10:00 AM |
From Blueprint to Build: Best Practices for Physical Security Throughout Development
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10:00 AM 10:30 AM |
Coffee and Networking Break
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10:30 AM 11:15 AM |
Building the Infrastructure: Construction Delivery, Power Systems and Resilience
Getting a data center delivered on schedule is only half the challenge. The systems inside it -- power, cooling, redundancy, backup -- have to perform under pressure from day one. Construction teams, mechanical and electrical specialists, and infrastructure providers are navigating tighter lead times, more complex power environments and rising expectations around uptime. From shell-and-core execution to resiliency planning and grid risk mitigation, this panel examines how the people who build and power critical infrastructure are keeping pace with demand without sacrificing reliability.
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11:15 AM 12:00 PM |
High‑Density in the Real World: Operating AI‑Ready Facilities Day Two and Beyond
As AI and other compute‑intensive workloads drive unprecedented rack densities, operations teams are rethinking how they run facilities once the ribbon is cut and systems move from commissioning into steady‑state. This session will explore practical approaches to managing high‑density environments, from power distribution and thermal management to liquid and hybrid cooling procedures in production halls. Speakers will share how they use monitoring, controls, automation, staffing models, and incident response playbooks to keep uptime and efficiency on track, while collaborating with customers on capacity planning, density upgrades, and ongoing change management in live, post‑commissioning environments.
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12:00 PM 12:30 PM |
Post-Event Networking
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Platinum Sponsors
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PS - Want the attendee list for free?
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