Special to 1808Delaware
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted announced today that Amazon Web Services (AWS) will invest an estimated $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in Central Ohio, creating hundreds of new jobs.
AWS’s data center project represents the second-largest single private sector company investment in Ohio’s history. The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing.
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,” said Governor DeWine. “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.”
“This positions Ohio as a critical location for the most discussed technology in the world, artificial intelligence,” said Lt. Governor Jon Husted. “This enormous capital investment further solidifies Ohio as the tech center of the Midwest and positions us for a bright future as cloud computing and artificial intelligence are more integrated into the economy and our everyday lives.”
AWS launched its first data centers in the Midwest in 2016 and currently operates data center campuses in Franklin and Licking counties. To date, AWS’s investments and operations have generated over $2 billion in economic benefit for Ohio, and supported more than 3,000 local secondary jobs on an average annual basis. In 2022, AWS directly employed nearly 1,000 Ohioans across the state.
“Today, we are proud to reinforce our long-term commitment to the State of Ohio with plans to expand and invest an estimated $7.8 billion by 2030,” said Roger Wehner, Director of Economic Development, AWS. “Since 2015, AWS has invested more than $6 billion in Ohio while supporting thousands of local jobs. This additional investment will bring new, well-paying jobs and will continue to boost the state’s Gross Domestic Product each year. We are excited to continue our partnership with the state of Ohio, and deliver new workforce development and educational programs that support the next generation of talent by emphasizing collaborative, long-term public and private partnerships across the state.”
“Ohio has a strong future in the technology sector and the more we’re able to help companies that are already here expand their investments only strengthens the state’s position,” said Lydia Mihalik, Director of the Ohio Department of Development. “AWS’s expanding presence in Ohio is a big win for workers looking for in-demand jobs, the construction industry, businesses who need the computer infrastructure to grow their operations, and consumers who rely on the Internet for so many things in their day-to-day lives.”
JobsOhio, One Columbus, and multiple county and local economic development teams are collaborating with AWS to support the expansion.
“AWS was the first-mover in Ohio among the major technology companies and their success has helped pave the way for the explosive growth we’re seeing now,” said JP Nauseef, President and CEO of JobsOhio. “Their newest investment creates 230 direct new jobs and an estimated 1,000 support jobs, and we look forward to building our partnership with AWS as Ohio continues to make its mark in this important sector.”
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
