COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. 16, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, Lt. Governor Jon Husted, the Ohio Department of Development, and JobsOhio announced today that Amazon Web Services (AWS) plans to invest an estimated $10 billion in additional funding to expand its data center infrastructure across greater Ohio, creating hundreds of new, well-paying jobs by the end of 2030 and strengthening the state’s role as a major technology hub.

The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

The new investment builds on the $7.8 billion investment plan announced by AWS last year, which was in addition to the more than $6 billion already invested through 2022, bringing the company’s announced planned investment in Ohio since 2015 to more than $23 billion by the end of 2030. This represents the second-largest planned investment by a single private sector company in the state’s history.

AWS plans to expand its data centers outside of Central Ohio in additional communities across the state. The company has not finalized the locations for investment and will continue to evaluate all potential sites. Investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements.

“As reliance on digital services continues to grow, so does the importance of data centers; they are critical to today’s modern economy,” said Governor DeWine. “AWS’s substantial investment in Ohio will help keep our state at the forefront of the global technology.”

“These are significant investments from AWS that support Ohio’s growing reputation as the tech hub of the Midwest,” said Lt. Governor Husted. “Artificial Intelligence and data centers are crucial to America’s economic superiority because they drive innovation, support high-tech industries, enhance productivity across sectors, and enable the analysis and management of vast data essential for global competitiveness.”

Since opening its first Ohio data center in 2016, AWS has made substantial contributions to the state's economy. The company estimates it has invested $10.3 billion in Ohio and contributed an estimated $3.8 billion in total gross domestic product (GDP) to the state between 2015-2023. AWS’s investments support thousands of new jobs in high-demand sectors like telecommunications, software development, facilities maintenance, and electricity generation within the cloud infrastructure supply chain.

"Today, we reaffirm our long-term commitment to Ohio with plans to invest an additional $10 billion to expand our data center infrastructure in greater Ohio to drive innovation in AI for customers," said Roger Wehner, vice president of economic development at AWS. "Since 2015, AWS has invested more than $10.3 billion in the state, and currently supports more than 4,760 jobs annually. This expanded investment is expected to create new, well-paying jobs, boost Ohio's GDP, and further cement our partnership with the state. We are also proud to continue expanding the reach of workforce development and educational programs that equip Ohio’s next generation of tech talent through strong public and private partnerships."​ 

JobsOhio is one of multiple economic development teams collaborating with AWS to support the expansion.

“Thanks to the growing number of data center leaders in our state, Ohio has emerged as one of the nation's foremost technology centers, helping us attract business innovators that hadn’t previously considered locating here,” said JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef. “AWS was the first major cloud provider in our state and their success has helped pave the way for the explosive growth we’re seeing now.”

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About JobsOhio

JobsOhio, Ohio's private nonprofit economic development corporation, enhances company growth and personnel development through business attraction, retention, and expansion across ten competitive industry sectors. With a team of seasoned professionals, JobsOhio utilizes a comprehensive network to foster talent production in targeted industries and attract talent through Find Your Ohio. Collaborating with seven regional partners, including Dayton Development Coalition, Lake to River Economic Development, Ohio Southeast Economic Development, One Columbus, REDI Cincinnati, Regional Growth Partnership, and Team NEO, JobsOhio delivers world-class customer service to provide companies with a competitive advantage. Learn more at www.jobsohio.com.  Follow us on LinkedIn, X, and Facebook.

Matt Englehart
JobsOhio
614-300-1152
communications@jobsohio.com

Dan Tierney
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
614-644-0957
Dan.Tierney@governor.ohio.gov

Jill Del Greco
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine
614-644-0957
Jill.DelGreco@governor.ohio.gov

Lindsay Bednar
AWS
linbedna@amazon.com