Ohio weather might be cloudy much of the year but Google is going to put even more clouds here.
The tech giant is bringing two more data centers to Ohio to handle cloud storage, artificial intelligence and more. And these data centers will be in addition to the one that’s already located near the future site of Intel in central Ohio.
Google Vice President of Government and Public Policy Mark Isakowitz said the company’s existing data center near Columbus has generated $13.9 billion of economic activity for tens of thousands of businesses. And now, he said the company will build two more – one in Lancaster and the other in Columbus.
“We have data centers in 13 states and nine countries and we are going to have three operational data centers right here in central Ohio so that’s really exciting," Isakowitz said.
Isakowitz, an Ohio native, said it's unusual to have three data centers located so close together. But he said Ohio has the water, land and natural resources the company needs. And he said Google likes the local business partners here in Ohio.
"So you feel you can build out a workforce, have enough space and room to develop the data centers. It's a combination of policies, people, natural resources that creates a good ecosystem," Isakowitz said.
The new data centers will bring the company’s investment in Ohio to more than $2 billion dollars - all in the central Ohio region. Democratic Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the area has the fastest growing economy in the Midwest.
"Google is playing a big part in making the region a hub for cloud computing and priming the region for even more development. The future is very bright in Columbus and Central Ohio," Ginther said.
Google isn’t saying how many new jobs will be created. And it won't divulge other terms of the agreement. Republican Gov. Mike DeWine isn't divulging that information either. But he said more of this type of development will happen if the state invests in job training and education.
"We have to keep bringing these companies into the state of Ohio and the best way to do that, frankly, is to show them that Ohio is dead serious about investing in our people," DeWine said.
DeWine's proposed two-year state budget included millions of dollars for K-12 education. He had proposed $300 million for tech center improvements alone. He's been urging lawmakers to keep that money in there as the budget goes through the legislative process.
Ohio has been the site of big investments by tech companies recently. Last year, Intel announced it would be building a $20 billion dollar computer chip factory in New Albany, east of Columbus. And Honda and LG Energy Solution have teamed up to build a $3.5 billion dollar battery plant in Jeffersonville, about halfway between Columbus and Cincinnati.
