Google, one of the top three global leaders in the information technology industry, has announced plans to invest $1 billion to expand its New Albany data center operations. In 2019, Google broke ground on a $600 million data center complex on 441 acres of land off of Beech Road. The expansion is expected to triple its presence here. New Albany’s growing reputation as an ideal location for multinational data operations is driven by a variety of assets.

Reliable, redundant, triple feed electric capabilities, powered by AEP, meet the high energy demands of data centers while the city’s robust, high-speed fiber optics support the need for high bandwidth capacity. AEP’s presence in New Albany, which includes a mission-critical facility for a 12-state region, data center and transmission headquarters, has also fueled growth in the park’s IT cluster. The City also provides ample space for expansion and the ability to fast track permitting, development and construction timelines.

“The city can bring together cross-functional teams that create collaborative effort and a relationship rather than a transaction,” notes Rich McMunn, Google Site Operations Manager. “They have been with us every step of the way allowing us to move quickly and efficiently.”

With a growing concentration of data centers and mission-critical facilities, ranging from Encova Insurance and Discover Financial to TJX, AEP and Facebook, the IT cluster is among the city’s fastest growing industry. The city expects to keep up pace with the development of the cluster with data centers serve as the backbone of the growing digital industry economy.