A Charlotte suburb had embraced data centers. Now, it’s rethinking that growth
Catawba County leaders are defending their past data center investments with companies like Microsoft and Apple, highlighting economic benefits such as property taxes and stable employment. However, the county is now shifting its economic development strategy and will no longer actively pursue new data center investments, despite resident concerns and a recent moratorium enacted in nearby Charlotte.
Catawba County leaders in North Carolina have issued a letter to residents, defending their past embrace of data center developments amid increasing local and national concerns. The county highlighted the economic benefits of existing projects, specifically a $1 billion investment agreement with Microsoft for four data centers under construction in Conover, Hickory, Maiden, and Newton, and Apple's long-standing data center in Maiden, which has grown to a $6 billion investment.
Residents have voiced opposition over noise, significant power needs, and water usage, with nearby Charlotte recently enacting a 150-day moratorium on data center construction and rezoning. Despite these concerns and a past strategy that positioned Catawba County as a "Data Center Corridor," officials, including Scott Millar of the Catawba County Economic Development Corp., stated the county is no longer actively pursuing new data center investments.
Millar explained that while they will continue to support current agreements with Apple and Microsoft, the county is now seeking to diversify its economic base by pursuing other sectors. This marks a strategic shift for Catawba County, which initially turned to data centers in the early 2000s to replace declining textile and furniture industries.