OHIO — Amazon Web Services announced on Monday it will invest $7.8 billion to expand data center operations in Ohio by 2030, becoming the second-largest single private sector company investment in the state's history.
Amazon said the money will be put toward new data centers scattered throughout central Ohio, but didn't say how many. The locations for the data centers will be finalized at a later date, DeWine said.
The data centers will compose of computer services, data storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure, according to Gov. Mike DeWine.
"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 DeWine in a press release. "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."
Amazon and DeWine said the investment is expected to create "hundreds of new jobs."
"This positions Ohio as a critical location for the most discussed technology in the world, artificial intelligence,” said Lt. Gov. Jon Husted in a press release. “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.”
According to Amazon, AWS launched its first data centers in the Midwest in 2016. There are currently data centers in Franklin and Licking counties, and to date, the investments and operations of generated $2 billion to Ohio's economy. They've also supported 3,000 local secondary jobs annually.
AWS said last year, it directly employed around 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 of 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.”