Discover Plans $76-million Data Center in New Albany, OH

Discover Financial Services plans to create 162 new jobs in New Albany as it moves forward with a 97,900-square-foot data center, Columbus Business News First reports.

Officials made the announcement this week at the Discover Card operation that opened in 1999. The $76.2 million data center will be at the intersection of New Albany Road East and New Albany Condit Road.

Scott McAfee, New Albany’s public information officer, said Discover had tied the location of the new jobs to wherever it decided to put the data center. The new jobs represent an annual payroll of $7.6 million.

“We’re not only getting the 162 jobs,” McAfee said. “There was a chance that a significant number of the existing 1,580 jobs could have moved to the data center site.”

A spokeswoman for Ohio Gov. John Kasich said in an email that Arizona and South Carolina had competed for the data center. The deal awaits approval of city and state incentives. The Ohio Tax Credit Authority will consider a 15-year, 75 percent tax credit May 21 worth an estimated $4.13 million.