North Dakota – North Dakota Gov. Kelly Armstrong praised the opening of Applied Digital’s Polaris Forge 1 project in Ellendale, calling the development an example of how businesses can successfully work with local communities.

Armstrong said the project’s success was driven by the company’s approach to working with residents and local leaders throughout the process.

“The Applied Digital project in Ellendale is a success story because of how they went about working with this community,” Armstrong wrote on X. “It’s not always easy, but this is how you do business in North Dakota — being responsive, collaborative and honest.”

The governor congratulated Applied Digital and CoreWeave on the opening of Polaris Forge 1, Building 1, while noting that additional development is expected in the future.

The Polaris Forge 1 project is part of Applied Digital’s expansion of digital infrastructure in North Dakota, with the facility designed to support high-performance computing and artificial intelligence workloads.

Armstrong highlighted the project as an example of economic development that benefits from cooperation between companies, communities and state officials.

The opening represents a major milestone for Ellendale, a small North Dakota community that has attracted significant attention because of the scale of the planned technology investment.

The governor has continued to emphasize economic growth, energy development and technology investment as priorities for North Dakota, arguing that projects like Polaris Forge 1 can create new opportunities while strengthening local communities.

Applied Digital and CoreWeave’s partnership reflects the growing demand for advanced computing infrastructure as industries continue expanding artificial intelligence and cloud-based technologies.

Armstrong said the project demonstrates the importance of businesses engaging with communities and maintaining open communication during major developments.

“Congratulations to Applied Digital and CoreWeave on the opening of Polaris Forge 1, Building 1, with more to come,” Armstrong wrote.