DANVILLE — Microsoft Corp. plans to open its most advanced data center in Mecklenburg County, investing up to $499 million — the largest investment project in Southern Virginia’s history — Gov. Bob McDonnell announced Friday in a news release.
The project in Boydton Industrial Park would create 50 jobs. The data center will be Microsoft’s latest generation, the “Gen 4.”
“This new data center will enable the best possible delivery of services to our current and future customers,” Kevin Timmons, general manager of Microsoft Datacenter Services, said in the new release. “My team and I look forward to engaging in the deployment of our latest modular solution in Virginia.”
Danville Mayor Sherman Saunders believes the project, which is just a couple of counties east of Danville, could show that the Southside can benefit tech companies.
“I think it can help our area. It can only assist us in our marketing campaign,” Saunders said. “We are becoming a technology corridor, there is no question about that. Microsoft coming to Mecklenburg is certainly a positive for Danville.”
Virginia beat out North Carolina and Texas for the project, which attracted Microsoft with incentives, a low-cost operating environment, access to a major fiber optic network and reliable and environmentally responsible electricity sources, the release stated.
“Microsoft is a household name and securing this global project is a significant economic win for Virginia,” McDonnell said in the release. “ … This project represents the largest investment project in the history of Southern Virginia. It will further bolster the Commonwealth’s standing as a leader in the information technology sector, while creating new jobs for our citizens and spurring economic development throughout the region.”
McDonnell approved a $2.1 million grant from the Governor’s Opportunity Fund to help Mecklenburg County. The Virginia Tobacco Commission approved providing another $4.8 million.
Collaboration between the Mecklenburg County, Virginia Economic Development Partnership, the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative and Dominion Virginia Power helped seal the deal.
The advanced fiber optic network will provide diverse fiber routes to connect to major carrier interconnection points in the eastern United States and can support the high capacity, diverse routing and low latency requirements of Microsoft’s new data center, the release stated.
“Our GigaParks are a perfect example of how private sector companies like Microsoft can benefit from an advanced telecom infrastructure in a region with a low cost operating environment,” said Tad Deriso, president and CEO of the Mid-Atlantic Broadband Cooperative.
Bozick is a staff writer for the Danville Register & Bee.
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