Google will be the end-user of Appling data center, Columbia County Commissioners and Development Authority announce
Columbia County officials announced that Google will be the sole end-user and operator of a data center at the White Oak Park property in Appling, Georgia. This announcement follows prior rezoning approvals and a period of local opposition to data center developments in the area. The project is touted as a significant investment that will strengthen the county's tax base.
The Economic Development of Columbia County (EDACC) and the Columbia County Board of Commissioners (BOC) have confirmed that Google will be the exclusive end-user and operator of a data center located at the White Oak Park property in Appling, Georgia.
This development follows the BOC's approval last May to rezone thousands of acres for the White Oak Technology Park, an industrial area targeting data centers. The properties were initially sold by EDACC to the Atlanta-based Trammell Crow Company, which subsequently sold the land to Kinetic Infrastructure for nearly half a billion dollars. The project has faced local opposition from residents concerned about data center proliferation in the area. The BOC also established a new Data Center (D-C) district zoning, approving the Pumpkin Center project for this classification while denying the Byrd Farms project's request.
BOC Chairman Doug Duncan highlighted the project's potential to boost Columbia County's commercial tax base, funding schools, roads, and public safety, and reducing the reliance on residential property owners. The announcement also aligns with the Ratepayer Protection Pledge, an initiative advocated by President Trump, where companies commit to covering data center development costs.