Google Announces Additional $1 Billion Investment in Council Bluffs Data Center

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (KMTV) — Google announced Tuesday afternoon that it plans to invest an additional $1 billion in its Council Bluffs data center. The tech company also announced that it is partnering with the Great Outdoors Foundation and contributing to water quality programs in southwest Iowa.

• “You know, data centers like this are really critical to cloud and artificial intelligence. This is the dawn of one of the most critical industrial revolutions the world has ever seen,” said Joseph Kava, Google’s vice president of data centers.
• Council Bluffs Mayor Matt Walsh praised the company for its donations to the school system and for providing free Wi-Fi throughout the city.

• “The $1.3 million for water quality projects in Iowa: I can’t think of a better place to give back and be a better community partner, especially with the state of Iowa,” said Gov. Kim Reynolds.

TRANSCRIPTION OF THE SHOW:

Excitement is building in Council Bluffs as Google announces an additional $1 billion investment in southwest Iowa. I’m your local reporter, KATRINA MARKEL, at the Google data center in Council Bluffs where local and state officials were on hand for the big announcement.

“Yeah, that’s a billion with a “B”…”

On Tuesday afternoon, Google Vice President Joseph Kava announced that the tech giant will invest an additional $1 billion in southwest Iowa, adding to the $5.5 billion it has already invested in its data center on the southern edge of Council Bluffs.

“You know, data centers like this are really critical to cloud and artificial intelligence. This is the dawn of one of the most critical industrial revolutions the world has ever seen,” Kava said.

Gov. Kim Reynolds touted Iowa’s “pro-growth” business climate and the state’s efforts to prepare students for careers in technology. She thanked the company for its partnership with the Great Outdoors Foundation, which donated more than $1 million for clean water and flood resilience.

“The $1.3 million for water quality projects in Iowa: I can’t think of a better place to give back and be a better community partner, especially with the state of Iowa,” the governor said.

Mayor Matt Walsh said his neighbors have benefited greatly from Google’s contributions. First, the company donated laptops to students at Council Bluffs Public Schools.

“And then when they found out that not everyone could afford to connect to the internet, they helped us expand the free Wi-Fi network so kids could learn at home and not have to go to a remote location to connect to the internet,” Walsh said.

Rep. Randy Feenstra, members of the legislature and local leaders also attended the announcement. Construction on the data center is underway, and leaders hope the site will continue to provide jobs in southwest Iowa.