VW County group tours New Albany data center park

More than 50 elected officials, community stakeholders, business leaders, and education partners from Van Wert County, Ohio, visited New Albany to tour its International Business Park, a highly developed data center and industrial hub. The trip was organized by the Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation and funded by Thor Equities, with the aim of informing the Van Wert community as it prepares for its own data center development at a local megasite. Van Wert Area Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Brent Stevens emphasized the importance of transparency, noting that residents with concerns were specifically invited to join. Participants learned from New Albany community development leaders and industry representatives about the planning, infrastructure, and long-term strategies that led to the region's significant growth since 2010. Discussions focused on common community questions, including noise, construction traffic, and environmental considerations like water usage. New Albany officials reported infrequent noise complaints, primarily linked to generator testing, and cited construction traffic as the main concern during active development. Van Wert Police Chief Doug Weigle expressed excitement, noting data center noise levels were comparable to a "drone." Attendees also learned about closed-loop cooling systems prioritized in Van Wert, with New Albany representatives stating no additional water capacity was required for their data centers. Van Wert resident Emily Hoskins, initially "very anti-data center," changed her perspective after seeing the sustainable practices of companies like Google, Meta, QTS, and Amazon in New Albany. New Albany leaders also stressed the role of community values, such as health, wellness, and sustainability, in guiding development, and highlighted the importance of efficient economic development processes to remain competitive.