A profitable subsidiary of Amazon planned to invest about $7.8 billion into Central Ohio by the end of 2029.
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Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted announced Monday that Amazon Web Services (AWS) planned to invest an estimated $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in Central Ohio.
Officials were hopeful of the endeavor, stating that the new project would create hundreds of new jobs.
“Amazon is already one of the largest private-sector employers in Ohio, and the company’s continued growth here further cements Ohio as the heart of our nation’s technology and innovation,” DeWine said.
“As more of the world relies on cloud computing, this investment will build on Amazon’s current infrastructure in Ohio to help new and existing businesses grow, allow residents to securely connect to friends and family, and provide access to online educational resources and entertainment,” DeWine continued.
“This positions Ohio as a critical location for the most discussed technology in the world, artificial intelligence,” Husted informed.
“This enormous capital investment further solidifies Ohio as the tech center of the Midwest and positions us for a bright future as cloud computing and artificial intelligence are more integrated into the economy and our everyday lives,” Husted stated.
AWS launched its first data centers in the Midwest in 2016 and currently operates data center campuses in Franklin and Licking counties. To date, AWS’s investments and operations have generated over $2 billion in economic benefit for Ohio, and supported more than 3,000 local secondary jobs on an average annual basis.
In 2022, AWS directly employed nearly 1,000 Ohioans across the state.
“Today, we are proud to reinforce our long-term commitment to the State of Ohio with plans to expand and invest an estimated $7.8 billion by 2030,” Roger Wehner, Director of Economic Development, AWS, said.
“Since 2015, AWS has invested more than $6 billion in Ohio while supporting thousands of local jobs. This additional investment will bring new, well-paying jobs and will continue to boost the state’s Gross Domestic Product each year,” Wehner continued.
“We are excited to continue our partnership with the state of Ohio, and deliver new workforce development and educational programs that support the next generation of talent by emphasizing collaborative, long-term public and private partnerships across the state,” Wehner stated.
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