Kokomo Mayor Backs Proposed Data Center
Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore is backing Digital Realty’s proposed three-building data center campus at Industrial Park North. The project could add $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion in assessed value, generate up to $55 million in annual property taxes and create thousands of construction jobs.
Kokomo Mayor Tyler Moore is supporting Digital Realty’s proposal to build three data center buildings totaling about 3 million square feet on 476 acres at Industrial Park North near U.S. 31 and County Road 400 North. The project is projected to generate $1.3 billion to $1.7 billion in new assessed value and $44 million to $55 million in annual property tax revenue when completed in 2033, without a tax abatement.
Moore said the city evaluated the project’s effects on water, electricity, noise and employment. Digital Realty plans to use a closed-loop, air-cooled chiller system and pay for needed water infrastructure improvements, while Duke Energy has committed to ensuring the data center covers costs associated with serving it. The company also plans to coordinate workforce training with Ivy Tech Community College, Indiana University Kokomo and the Kokomo Area Career Center, and will hold a community open house.