An investment firm owned by Microsoft founder Bill Gates has spent $80m on 104 sq km of land in Arizona and has announced plans to create a "Smart City".
The proposed settlement, to be called "Belmont", is 45 minutes west of Phoenix, with planned construction work including 80,000 homes, 3,800 acres for retail, industrial and office space, 3,400 acres of open space and 470 acres set aside for public schools.
At present the area has few residents or amenities, however its communications will be improved by the proposed Interstate 11, although this project is still somewhat speculative.
Real estate firm Belmont Partners commented: "Belmont will create a forward-thinking community with a communication and infrastructure spine that embraces cutting-edge technology, designed around high-speed digital networks, data centres, new manufacturing technologies and distribution models, autonomous vehicles and autonomous logistics hubs."
Despite Gates not being officially named a backer, an office for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is listed as the mailing address for the investment.
No start date for the project has been announced.
Image: Bill Gates (Wikimedia Commons)
