Microsoft Corporation will invest $251.6 million to expand its data center site in Virginia’s Mecklenburg County and increase capacity to serve its growing customer base. Microsoft considered other sites in the U.S. for the project before choosing Virginia, which will gain 44 new jobs.
“The demand for cloud services continues to grow globally as cloud services are transforming entire industries,” said Christian Belady, General Manager, Cloud Infrastructure Strategy & Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure and Operations at Microsoft. “We will continue to invest in growing our capacity to meet the expanding demand of our customers in close collaboration with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the County of Mecklenburg.”
Microsoft’s original project in 2010 involved an investment of up to $499 million and 50 new jobs. In 2011, the company invested an additional $150 million to expand the site, and in 2013 announced a $348 million expansion. In June 2014, Microsoft invested another $346.7 million, creating 90 new jobs. The company expanded for a fourth time in November 2015, investing $402.4 million and creating 42 new jobs.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Mecklenburg County to secure the project for Virginia. Governor Terry McAuliffe approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Mecklenburg County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved $970,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project.
“Microsoft has now invested nearly $2 billion in its Mecklenburg facility and created over 250 jobs since 2010,” said Gov. McAuliffe. “With five expansions in six years, this company’s success continues to be a testament to Southern Virginia’s talented workforce and strong IT infrastructure. The Commonwealth is emerging as a leader in the data center industry, and we are honored to have such a valued corporate partner aid us in our efforts to build a new Virginia economy.”
“Virginia’s data center industry has been booming for more than a decade, especially in rural Virginia,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Since 2005, more than 8,400 jobs and more than $11 billion in capital investment have been announced for this critical sector. Virginia’s momentum is bolstered by a powerhouse company like Microsoft on our corporate roster, which continues to make major investments in its Mecklenburg data center.”
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