By The Iowa Statesman
Internet giant Google has announced today it will be investing an additional $1 billion in its Council Bluffs data center in exchange for $19.8 million in sales and use tax refunds. The Iowa Economic Development Authority is taking up the request today, and is likely to approve it.
The additional jobs and infrastructure will bring Google’s total investment in the Council Bluffs facility to $2.5 billion. It has already received approximately $16.8 million in tax incentives from the State of Iowa.
Google currently employs more than 300 individuals in Iowa.
“With its highly-skilled workforce and vibrant business climate, we are proud to call Iowa home,” said Chris Russell, Google Council Bluffs Data Center Manager. “The state of Iowa has been a critical partner in the expansion of our Council Bluffs data center, which allows us to support more and more people as they use the internet.”
Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds responded positively to Google’s announcement.
“Google’s latest billion dollar investment in Iowa is yet another indicator of Iowa’s emerging leadership position in welcoming tech giants to the state,” said Branstad. “Google has been an exemplary corporate citizen that continually looks to reinvest in the community where it does business. We’re pleased that Google, like many other companies, is choosing Iowa to invest, grow and create high-quality careers.”
“This significant investment in Iowa from Google will continue to foster growth in STEM career fields,” said Reynolds. “We’re pleased not only with the investment Google has made in Iowa, but also with the commitment the company has made to using Iowa’s abundant renewable energy, like wind, to power a sizable portion of their operations. Today’s announcement of Google’s investment is a win for Council Bluffs and the entire state of Iowa.”
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