Union County, Ohio, Data Center Projects Progress Quietly; Gubernatorial Candidate Proposes Statewide Moratorium
Data center projects in Union County, Ohio, including in Marysville and Jerome Township, are making quiet progress behind the scenes, following a pattern of stealth development observed in places like Gilroy, California. Meanwhile, Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is proposing a statewide moratorium on new data center projects in Ohio, advocating for their placement on abandoned industrial sites rather than farmland and outlining new conditions for approval. Local government entities have already approved zoning and incentive packages for some of these projects.
Data center developments in Union County, Ohio, are moving forward with behind-the-scenes progress in Marysville and Jerome Township, despite a public perception of inactivity. Marysville has approved an incentive package for a potential $1 billion-plus data center with Anadonna LLC, while Jerome Township granted zoning approval for two massive data center projects in December, one of which saw its mortgage refinanced by BA Mitchell Owner LLC.
The article highlights that significant work on infrastructure, utilities, and financing often occurs out of public view between zoning approvals and visible construction, drawing parallels to a data center project by Amazon Web Services in Gilroy, California. The Gilroy project faced public backlash after construction began, prompting city leaders there to consider future requirements for public engagement. Union County officials, however, claim their process has been more transparent.
Separately, Republican gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has proposed a statewide policy shift for Ohio's data center development. Speaking to Union County farmers, Ramaswamy advocated for directing new data center projects to abandoned industrial sites to protect productive farmland, which he described as an irreplaceable state resource. He also proposed using executive action on his first day in office to enact a moratorium on new data center projects until statewide standards are established, including conditions for approval such as free residential electricity, property tax relief, and strict air and water protections.
These developments signify complex negotiations for electricity, water, environmental compliance, and other arrangements that often take months or years to resolve before construction commences, with developers frequently using LLCs and confidentiality agreements. For the Anadonna project in Marysville, key infrastructure improvements, including a new overpass, are anticipated by late 2027, with the developer responsible for utility upgrades.