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Area Development - Site Selection, Facility Planning and Workforce Development

Google Invests $600 Million To Develop Data Center In Clarksville, Tennessee

12/23/2015
Google has acquired the former Hemlock Semiconductor site in Clarksville, Tennessee. The company will invest $600 million to transform it into the company’s 8th U.S. data center, creating 70 jobs.

“This site comes with the benefits of existing infrastructure, which we plan to reuse and recycle – for example, many of the office buildings will be used for Googlers when the data center is operational,” said Google Vice President for Data Center Operations, Joe Kava. “At the same time, we have room to innovate and grow both as a data center and as a member of the Montgomery County community. We’re excited about the opportunity to experiment with new kinds of technology and design an impressive facility – we can’t wait!”

The roughly 1,300 acre site will be powered 100 percent by renewable energy through an arrangement with the Tennessee Valley Authority. Through the agreement, Google will be able to scout new renewable energy projects and work with TVA to bring the power onto the electrical grid, local economic development officials said.

“We are grateful for Google’s significant investment in Tennessee and the new jobs that will be created in Montgomery County,” Governor Bill Haslam said. “This is one of the world’s most well-known brands, so it says a lot for our state that it will soon be home to Google’s eighth U.S. data center. We welcome Google to Tennessee and look forward to building a strong partnership with the company in the years to come.”

“The data processing, hosting and related services industry has grown significantly in Tennessee. Clarksville, in particular, has seen a considerable surge with employment increasing by 305 percent in less than five years,” Economic and Community Development Commissioner Randy Boyd said. “To have a company like Google choose our state for its newest data center means a great deal as it will not only add to Clarksville’s business landscape, but it will also provide new opportunities for our workforce. Thanks, Google, for joining Team Tennessee.”

“From a regional perspective, this is a very exciting announcement,” added Clarksville Mayor Kim McMillan. “As we've discussed for some time, growth in Middle Tennessee is expected to continue at an exponential rate. Google's investment in Clarksville-Montgomery County is proof that the technology industry is a significant part of that growth. I am very excited about Clarksville's role in bringing new investment, new jobs and new technology to the area.”

Google currently has data centers in 14 locations on four continents, including Iowa, Georgia, Singapore and Belgium, and recently announced plans to develop a site in Alabama.

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