Amazon plans to spend nearly $8 billion over the next six years to expand its data center operations in central Ohio, according to a news release from Gov. Mike DeWine.
The Monday release says the $7.8 billion project represents the second-largest single private sector company investment in Ohio’s history, which is only behind the massive Intel project that is now under construction in Licking County.
The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing.
The release says numerous localities in central Ohio are under consideration for the new data center campuses, and final site selections will be decided at a later date.
"Amazon is already one of the largest private-sector employers in Ohio, and the company's continued growth here further cements Ohio as the heart of our nation's technology and innovation," DeWine said in the release.
"As more of the world relies on cloud computing, this investment will build on Amazon's current infrastructure in Ohio to help new and existing businesses grow, allow residents to securely connect to friends and family, and provide access to online educational resources and entertainment,” DeWine said.
Amazon launched its first data centers in the Midwest in 2016 and currently operates data center campuses in Franklin and Licking counties.
