Digital Realty Further Expands Mediterranean Presence with Strategic Land Acquisitions in Milan
Rhea-AI Summary
Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR) announced acquisition of two parcels in Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan, to build a new campus that links Milan to Genoa/Savona subsea and regional fiber routes. The campus will start with an 8 MW facility targeted for readiness in 2028 and can expand up to 84 MW. This expansion complements an existing Rome development (ROM1) expected operational in early 2027, positioning Digital Realty as the only global platform with campuses in both Milan and Rome.
Positive
- Land acquired in Abbiategrasso for Milan campus
- Initial 8 MW facility targeted for 2028
- Scalable capacity up to 84 MW on larger plot
- Rome ROM1 expected operational in early 2027
- Unique dual‑city footprint in Milan and Rome for Italy
Negative
- First Milan phase not targeted for readiness until 2028
- Material build‑out (up to 84 MW) implies multiyear capital deployment
News Market Reaction – DLR
In the Mar 24 session, DLR declined 1.00%, reflecting a mild negative market reaction.
Data tracked by StockTitan Argus on the day of publication.
Key Figures
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | 24h Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 04 | Portugal expansion | Positive | +2.5% | Entry into Portugal via Lisbon data center to boost subsea connectivity. |
| Mar 02 | Sofia acquisition | Positive | +0.8% | Acquisition of Telepoint hubs in Sofia to expand Southeast Europe presence. |
| Feb 25 | AI lab expansion | Positive | +0.8% | New Innovation Labs in Singapore, Japan, and London to support AI workloads. |
| Feb 19 | Dividend declaration | Positive | -0.7% | Announcement of $1.22 common dividend and preferred stock payouts. |
| Feb 05 | Q4 2025 earnings | Positive | +4.2% | 4Q25 results with $1.6B revenue and 2026 Core FFO, revenue guidance. |
24h Move is the share-price change in the day after each event; other market factors may also have contributed.
Recent expansion and AI-related announcements have typically coincided with positive single‑day price reactions.
Over recent months, Digital Realty has consistently expanded its global platform. It entered Portugal via a Lisbon facility supporting up to 2.4 MW and moved into Bulgaria with the Telepoint acquisition, adding highly connected Sofia sites. The company also broadened its Innovation Lab network into Singapore, Japan, and London, and declared a $1.22 Q1 2026 dividend. Strong 4Q25 results with $1.6B revenue and detailed 2026 guidance supported a positive share reaction. The Milan land acquisitions extend this steady Southern Europe build‑out.
Key Terms
subsea technical
terrestrial fiber technical
interconnection technical
colocation technical
hyperscale technical
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
Exclusive Dual-City Presence in Rome and Milan will Position Digital Realty as Italy’s Premier Connectivity Platform
LONDON, March 24, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Digital Realty (NYSE: DLR), the world’s largest cloud- and carrier-neutral data center platform, today announced its coming entry into the Milan market, marking a significant expansion in one of Europe’s most economically powerful and digitally dynamic regions.
Digital Realty’s expansion into Milan strengthens its leadership in digital infrastructure across the Mediterranean and Southern Europe, connecting key hubs in Athens, Marseille, and Sofia, with new sites underway in Barcelona, Crete, and other key markets. Positioned at the crossroads of Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, this region is emerging as a vital digital interconnection point, and Digital Realty remains committed to delivering the digital infrastructure needed to support the growth in digital transformation, cloud and AI throughout Southern Europe and beyond.
Digital Realty has acquired two parcels of land strategically located in Abbiategrasso, southwest of Milan’s city center and just one kilometer apart. The new campus to be developed will sit at a critical nexus, positioned on the southwest subsea traffic corridor that connects Milan to Genoa and Savona, and will offer access to dense, diverse terrestrial fiber routes across the region.
The Milan campus will be designed to foster a new, vibrant interconnection and content community, strengthening diversity and resilience within the local digital ecosystem. Located in close proximity to two existing hyperscale regions, the campus will be well-positioned to facilitate future expansion, driven by the fast-growing demand for cloud and AI services. This is expected to ensure long-term capacity and resilience for digital services in Northern Italy and beyond.
"We’re excited to enter Milan, Italy’s business capital with a dynamic tech ecosystem," said Paula Cogan, Managing Director, EMEA, Digital Realty. "By expanding into Milan, we are providing much-needed infrastructure to support the city’s growth as a digital hub, fostering new content, interconnection, and cloud communities while assuring long-term capacity for AI and hyperscale deployments."
Digital Realty plans to initially deliver an 8-megawatt (MW) facility, bringing scalable colocation services and improved interconnection options to Milan’s fast-growing digital marketplace. The first phase is targeted for readiness in 2028, focusing on retail colocation and interconnection requirements. To meet ongoing demand for AI, cloud, and other enterprise deployments, Digital Realty plans further expansion on the larger plot, enabling up to 84 MW of capacity.
Digital Realty’s expansion into Milan complements its existing presence in Rome, where the company is currently constructing its first facility in this metro, ROM1, which is expected to become operational in early 2027. When fully built out, Digital Realty’s Rome campus will become one of the largest data center campuses in the country, further reinforcing Digital Realty’s commitment to supporting Italy’s digital transformation at both regional and national levels.
With plans underway in Milan and a forthcoming presence in Rome, Digital Realty is positioned to become the only global data center platform with a footprint in Italy’s two most important connectivity hubs, uniquely positioned to support growing demand across the country.
About Digital Realty
Digital Realty brings companies and data together by delivering the full spectrum of data center, colocation, and interconnection solutions. PlatformDIGITAL®, the company’s global data center platform, provides customers with a secure data meeting place and a proven Pervasive Datacenter Architecture (PDx®) solution methodology for powering innovation, from cloud and digital transformation to emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), and efficiently managing Data Gravity challenges. Digital Realty gives its customers access to the connected data communities that matter to them with a global data center footprint of 300+ facilities in 55+ metros across 30+ countries on six continents. To learn more about Digital Realty, please visit digitalrealty.com or follow us on LinkedIn and X.
For Additional Information
Media Contacts
Will Reynolds
Digital Realty
+44 7469 695775
wreynolds@digitalrealty.com
Investor Relations
Jordan Sadler / Jim Huseby
Digital Realty
+1 214 231 1350
InvestorRelations@digitalrealty.com
Safe Harbor Statement
This press release contains forward-looking statements which are based on current expectations, forecasts and assumptions that involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially, including statements related to the company's development plans, company strategy, including its strategy in the Mediterranean, and customer demand. For a list and description of risks and uncertainties, see the reports and other filings by the company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
