What Happens When a Data Center Comes to Town

Scioto County, Ohio, finds itself at the center of a contentious debate following a decision by its county commissioners to grant Google a substantial 75 percent tax abatement for a new data center. Commissioner Merit Smith, currently campaigning for re-election, was one of the three commissioners who voted in January to approve the abatement. The project, slated for Franklin Furnace, a rural town of 1,500 along the Ohio River, involves Google acquiring nearly 800 acres and planning for at least 1.7 million square feet of data centers. The development is envisioned in up to 10 phases over two decades. While local officials tout the unprecedented economic opportunities, some residents express feelings of being taken advantage of, making the local election race particularly heated due to the data center decision.