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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Google Plans $200 Million Investment In Third Council Bluffs, Iowa, Data Center

11/19/2012
Google plans a $200 million investment to locate a third data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, bringing search engine giant’s total investment in the area to more than $1.1. billion.

In 2009 Google invested $600 million in a Council Bluffs data center. Earlier this year, it announced plans to invest $300 million in another data center, which will be doubled in capacity size with this latest planned $200 million investment. With the $900 million worth of existing data center investments in Council Bluffs, Google’s total investment in Iowa now stands at $1.1 billion.

“Google’s decision to continue its investment in Iowa is a tribute to the company, and to Iowa,” said Gov. Terry Branstad. “We have worked hard to make Iowa an attractive and safe place to do business, and this is another example of that work bringing great results.” The firm did not receive an tax incentive for its latest expansion.

Chris Russell, the search engine’s data center manager, said new jobs will be created in the tech and construction sectors, but the number of jobs was not immediately available. He said Google considered other locations for the $200 million data center, but once again choose Council Bluffs because of its great workforce. Council Bluffs has the right combination of energy infrastructure, developable land, and available workforce for the data center, the firm said.

Google also said it is investing $75 million in a wind farm in Rippey, Iowa. Google officials said the firm is looking to offset the carbon footprint of its data centers. The Rippey Wind Farm is expected to produce enough renewable energy to light up 15,000 homes.

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