Microsoft’s $1B data center tops 2023 business news
The biggest business news for Northwest Georgia, by far, in the past year was the announcement that Microsoft will invest $1 billion in a data center campus in neighboring Floyd County.
The project encompasses a 347-acre property on Huffaker Road that Microsoft will purchase at $40,000 per acre.
The Rome-Floyd County Development Authority voted to essentially act as the go between in the $1 billion deal by issuing industrial revenue bonds for the project alongside a 12-year partial tax abatement. That allows the authority to act as a bridge between the two parties and doesn’t represent any debt taken on by the authority.
Microsoft will pay property taxes as well as county school taxes on the increased value of the land. The abatements only cover the buildings and equipment. The 12 year abatement will include the buildings and a 9 year abatement will include equipment that will go into the data center.
The company’s director of community engagement, Paul Englis, said in October that they have committed to creating 150 new jobs at the data center, although he said that’s likely on the low side of the actual number. “We tend to under promise and over deliver.”
The data center will support the company’s cloud technologies and Azure business. Azure, a cloud computing platform run by Microsoft, provides access, management and application development and services through a network of global data centers.
The company worked with the Rome-Floyd County Development Authority to choose a site, conduct due
diligence and bring the project to closing.
“This is a tremendous economic opportunity for our community that will have positive impacts for decades to come,” said Jimmy Byars, RFCDA chair.
Microsoft site selectors analyzed various sites across the U.S. and centered on the Huffaker Road site for several reasons.
“Rome and Floyd County’s industrial zoning and
strong infrastructure led to our decision to locate our datacenter campus there,” Englis said.
The company also pledged that the cost of any additional infrastructure requirements — such as power, water, roads etc. — will be covered by Microsoft.
“Ratepayers and taxpayers should not foot the bill for this project,” Englis told members of the authority.
They’re also seeking to invest in the community by way of community programs and technical training as well as prioritizing sustainability and minimizing any environmental impact from the project.
Emphasizing that the company wishes to be a part of the community, Englis said they want people to say “we’re really glad Microsoft is part of our community.”