- Amazon Web Services plans to invest $35 billion by 2040 to establish multiple data center campuses across Virginia.
- With the additional data center campuses, Amazon Web Services will create at least 1,000 total new jobs across Virginia.
- Governor Glenn Youngkin stated that the exact locations are under consideration and will be decided at a later date.
Amazon Web Services is planning to invest $35 billion by 2040 for multiple data center campuses across Virginia. The announcement was made by Governor Glenn Youngkin and the Virginia Economic Development Partnership. Youngkin also stated that numerous localities in the Commonwealth are under consideration and will be decided at a later date.
$35 billion by 2040
By investing in these new campuses, AWS, which is already one of the largest private-sector employers in the Commonwealth of Virginia, aims to combine the expandable capacity to position AWS for long-term growth in the Commonwealth.
AWS has established its first data centers and operations facilities in Virginia in 2006. The company also announced its second headquarters in Arlington in 2018. With the new investment, AWS will create at least 1,000 total new jobs in the region.
The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with the General Assembly’s Major Employment and Investment Project Approval Commission to secure the project to expand data center investment to new locations across Virginia. Pending approval by the Virginia General Assembly, the Commonwealth is developing a new Mega Data Center Incentive Program, which the company will be eligible to receive.
Tax exemptions
The new program includes up to a 15-year extension of Data Center Sales and Use tax exemptions on qualifying equipment and enabling software. The company will also be eligible to receive an MEI custom performance grant of up to $140 million for site and infrastructure improvements, workforce development, and other project-related costs. Roger Wehner, Director of Economic Development at AWS said,
« Virginia is a world leader in innovation and cloud computing, thanks to its investment in a robust, highly-skilled workforce and emphasis on long-term public and private partnerships. Since 2006, AWS has invested more than $35 billion in Virginia, boosting the Commonwealth’s total Gross Domestic Product by nearly $7 billion and supporting thousands of jobs annually. Building on these successful beginnings, we plan to invest an additional $35 billion in the Commonwealth of Virginia by 2040 and create 1,000 jobs. »