It’s no longer just a proposal, as Botetourt County prepares to welcome one of the world’s biggest tech companies to Southwest Virginia in the form of 3 data center buildings on one campus. WFIR’s Conner Arthur has more:
Google is officially advancing plans to construct a massive data center campus in the Greenfield area of Botetourt County. The project is no longer a proposal and represents one of the largest corporate investments in the history of Southwest Virginia. County officials confirmed the tech giant will develop three data center buildings on a single campus.
Revenue Pillars and Local Investment
The agreement with Google provides three distinct revenue streams for the locality. Botetourt County received over $14 million from the initial property sale in June 2025. Google also committed a $4 million grant to support county initiatives over five years.
County Administrator Gary Larrowe said the grant already funded critical equipment. This includes $1.1 million for three new ambulances and $364,000 for Sheriff’s Department body cameras. The school system also received approximately $2 million for capital projects.
Ongoing annual revenue is projected at nearly $30 million from the three buildings combined. When negotiated, the tax rates were the highest for data centers in Virginia. This rate even surpassed Loudoun County during the initial taxing cycles.
Infrastructure and Environmental Coordination
The campus will be located within the Greenfield Industrial Park on 312 acres. This area was specifically rezoned for research, manufacturing, and data center use in November 2024. Google will pay for 100 percent of the power and water infrastructure required for the project.
The data centers will require up to 8 million gallons of water daily from Carvins Cove. Google is working with the Western Virginia Water Authority to explore various cooling options. These utility upgrades are expected to bolster the broader regional infrastructure.
Employment and Economic Multipliers
The project is expected to create at least 50 permanent jobs per data center. This results in a minimum of 150 total permanent positions for the campus. Larrowe noted that data centers often have a high economic multiplier.
While many businesses have a multiplier of three, data centers can reach a multiplier of six. This means the 150 direct jobs could support up to 450 total jobs in the region. These roles include HVAC technicians and electricians from local contractors.
Solidifying the Regional Tech Future
Grading for the site is expected to begin in late spring or early summer of 2026. Board of Supervisors Chair Mac Scothorn stated the project positions the county as a leader in the digital economy. Officials hope this development encourages other rural localities to embrace data centers as economic drivers.
Larrowe described the effort as an “all-hands-on-deck operation” for the community of 34,000 people. The county plans to hold open houses and information sessions as construction progresses.
The post Botetourt County responds to advancement of Google data center project first appeared on News/Talk 960-AM & FM-107.3 WFIR.
