This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Google (GOOGL, Financials) is planting new roots in Arkansas with a $4 billion data center in West Memphis, its first facility in the state. The project, announced this week, is one of the biggest private investments ever made in the region.
Spread across more than 1,000 acres, the data center will run on power from Entergy Arkansas. The site is expected to fuel Google’s growing cloud and AI operations, while also giving a major boost to the local economy. Construction will bring thousands of jobs, and once the center opens, hundreds of people will be hired for operations.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders called it a milestone for the state, saying the scale of the project shows confidence in Arkansas’ workforce and future growth. For West Memphis, it’s a chance to become a key part of the tech economy.
Google isn’t stopping at the build.The corporation also said it would set up a $25 million Energy Impact Fund for the neighborhood around it. The money will be used to help people weatherize their homes, install innovative energy-saving devices, and train people for careers in the energy sector.
The move shows how tech companies are racing to build more data centers all around the U.S. to keep up with the demand for cloud services and AI. It’s a new chapter for Arkansas, and it might change the state’s role in the digital economy for a long time.
