Ohio's data center boom really started in New Albany. We went there to see what it looks like.

New Albany, Ohio, has emerged as a major data center hub, with 40 facilities operational and 28 more in various stages of development since 2010. The New Albany International Business Park, spanning 12,000 acres, is home to a technology cluster that includes data centers for companies like Google, Meta, Amazon, Discover Financial Services, and TJX. The city's economic development specialist, Alex Klosterman, regularly conducts tours for officials from other Ohio communities, as well as groups from Indiana and Michigan, who are interested in understanding New Albany's success and how to manage data center development. Community development director Jennifer Chrysler highlighted that the city has crafted a financial model allowing data centers to contribute to city revenue comparable to office buildings with larger workforces, despite having fewer employees, thereby reducing demand on city services. The initial boom was supported by significant infrastructure investments from American Electric Power, providing redundant power and heavy transmission lines. Data centers in New Albany also operate under agreements capping their water use. While the city shares its