BOTETOURT COUNTY, Va. – Google’s proposed data center in Botetourt County isn’t even close to being built, but it has already meant a windfall for the county.
Google agreed to pay the county $14,064,885 for 312.553 acres at the Botetourt Center at Greenfield. The company is also contributing another $4 million over the next five years to support community projects, totaling $18 million in Botetourt County alone.
The funds will be used for capital projects for Botetourt County schools, new equipment for law enforcement, and new facilities for county parks and libraries.
“This is a win for Botetourt, and it’s a win for all of us,” County Administrator Gary Larrowe said at the announcement.
John Hull, executive director of the Roanoke Regional Partnership, says Google’s land purchase is also a win for the entire region.
“That’s going to bring with it spinoff opportunities. You build a new economic sector, there’s going to be a new set of suppliers. A new set of construction specialties comes with that. Really, the scope of this is substantial,” Hull said.
Hull noted that Appalachian Power was involved in the discussions, as data centers consume a lot of energy. This is the first such project in AEP’s territory, and Google has agreed to pay the costs of bringing utilities to the site.
“We can’t at this point discuss the full scope of investment or employment, but what we can say is it’s a brand-new sector, really for western Virginia, for the entire Interstate 81 corridor and the Roanoke region,” Hull said.
The timeline remains unclear, but the impact of what is built on the land could be lasting.