BOTETOURT CO., Va. – Agreements tied to a proposed Google data center campus in Botetourt County outline billions in potential investment, new jobs and significant water infrastructure planning for the Roanoke Valley.
Three key documents — a performance agreement with Botetourt County and two water-related agreements involving the Western Virginia Water Authority — detail how the project could move forward and how costs and responsibilities would be divided between the county, the developer and the regional water utility.
The economic development performance agreement between Botetourt County and Helio Capital LLC, the developer representing Google, outlines plans for up to three data centers at the Botetourt Center at Greenfield.
According to the agreement, each facility would require at least $1 billion in capital investment and create a minimum of 50 full-time jobs with a median annual salary of about $86,000. The agreement also states the developer would generate at least $1 million annually in local tax revenue.
A separate utility services funding agreement between the Western Virginia Water Authority and Helio Capital LLC states the developer will pay for all new water and sewer infrastructure required for the data centers. Once constructed, that infrastructure would be transferred to the water authority.
The agreement estimates the facilities would initially use about 2 million gallons of water per day. If the campus expands, daily water usage could increase to as much as 8 million gallons.
A third agreement between Botetourt County and the Western Virginia Water Authority focuses on identifying and developing a new water source for the region.
Under the agreement, the developer would pay for engineering, planning and studies to help identify potential new water sources. Botetourt County, however, could ultimately be responsible for funding much of the construction needed to develop that source once it is identified.
Officials say planning for additional water capacity is part of broader long-term planning for the Roanoke Valley as population growth and economic development increase demand on the region’s water supply.
If built, the proposed campus could bring billions of dollars in investment and infrastructure upgrades to Botetourt County. At the same time, the scale of the project could significantly increase water demand and shape future planning for regional resources.
While the agreements provide new details about the potential project, some residents say questions remain about its long-term impacts.
An anonymous Botetourt County resident shared a document with WSLS listing concerns raised by some community members, including whether contingency plans exist if demand for artificial intelligence technology significantly changes and whether additional details about the project have yet to be disclosed publicly.
We provided the documents below: