What Ohio communities can gain from data center deals
A researcher from The Buckeye Institute advises Ohio communities to negotiate effectively with data center developers to secure economic benefits and protections. Loudoun County, Virginia, is cited as a successful example, having lowered property taxes due to data center revenue, though it is now shifting its focus to managing growth. The article emphasizes that communities should ensure residents benefit and are protected as the data center industry expands.
Greg Lawson, a senior fellow at The Buckeye Institute, advises Ohio communities to proactively negotiate with data center developers to secure economic benefits such as property taxes and community services. This guidance comes as data centers rapidly expand across the state, prompting local leaders to balance development impacts like land use and increased power demand against potential revenue.
Lawson cited New Albany, Ohio, as a community that successfully negotiated terms, and suggested smaller localities might benefit from expert assistance. He highlighted Loudoun County, Virginia, as a prime example, where data centers generate over $1 billion annually, contributing nearly one-third of the county's budget and enabling a significant reduction in property taxes for residents.
Loudoun County officials, after years of development that saw over 43 million square feet of operational data center space, are now shifting their strategy from active recruitment to managing future growth through zoning, infrastructure planning, and increased protections for residents.
For Ohio communities, Lawson emphasized that the key is not just the investment data centers bring, but ensuring residents benefit and are protected amidst industry expansion.