Google's Project Dazzler Seeks Local Businesses for Data Center Construction in Scioto County, Ohio

The Scioto County Commissioners and Holder Construction are organizing a "Regional Build Briefing" on August 27 to connect local businesses with work opportunities for Google's Project Dazzler data center in Franklin Furnace, Ohio. The event, held at Shawnee State University's Kricker Innovation Hub in Portsmouth, aims to help contractors, suppliers, and service providers qualify for bids on the extensive construction project. This initiative directly addresses community concerns regarding how much of the project's economic benefits would remain in Scioto County.

Project Dazzler, Google's data center development, has previously faced significant local controversy concerning tax incentives, electricity and water usage, traffic, environmental impacts, and initial project secrecy. Scioto County Commissioner Merit Smith noted that while 150-200 people are currently working on-site, the workforce is projected to peak at around 3,500 construction workers, far exceeding original estimates. Local businesses, including food vendors and stores, are already being advised to prepare for this influx.

The briefing will outline upcoming scopes of work and the prequalification process for interested companies, ranging from skilled trades like electricians and plumbers to services such as cleaning, office supplies, and transportation. The timing is crucial as another large data center development, the PORTS-Pike Technology Campus in Pike County, is also underway, with OpenAI securing 8 gigawatts of computing capacity there, further increasing the region's construction activity for years to come.