Amazon Web Services welcomed state officials to the groundbreaking of its new data center campus in St. Joseph County.
Indiana Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg and Gov. Eric Holcomb were among officials who met Sept. 30 in the Century Center's Discovery Ballroom in South Bend to celebrate the start of the $11 billion investment.
“We appreciate the warm welcome to St. Joseph County and the state of Indiana,” said Kevin Miller, vice president of Global Data Centers at AWS, in a press release. “The strong spirit of partnership we’ve seen from local and state officials, community colleges and community organizations inspired great confidence as we developed our plans in the Region.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. said on its Facebook page that “AWS’s presence in New Carlisle will bolster Indiana’s economy of the future and provide at least 1,000 new career opportunities that Hoosiers deserve.”
Support from Gov. Eric Holcomb and the IEDC was instrumental in landing the large capital investment.
“This investment will include our continuing commitment to fostering workforce development and educational initiatives in areas where we operate, and we look forward to helping nurture the next generation of talent in the Hoosier State,” said Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development, in a press release.
According to Amazon, the company has invested $21.5 billion in Indiana since 2010 and created 26,000 full- and part-time jobs. It also has implemented four solar and one wind farm.
“Amazon has long been an important economic partner in Indiana, and we are excited to welcome AWS,” Gov. Holcomb said. “This significant investment solidifies Indiana’s leadership position in the economy of the future, and will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on the town of New Carlisle, the north central region and the state of Indiana for years to come.”
Amazon said in a blog that jobs will include electricians, construction workers and fiber-optic technicians.
“We’re committed to investing long-term in Indiana to help accelerate local workforce development, deliver new education programs for people of all ages, improve local infrastructure, and make a positive impact on this community as a great place for Hoosiers to live, work, and thrive,” Miller said.
AWS also will invest $7 million to improve road infrastructure surrounding the development in New Carlisle, just west of South Bend. The Indiana Enterprise Center gets water from the town of New Carlisle, sewer from South Bend, natural gas from NIPSCO and electric from I&M/AEP. Canadian National and Norfolk Southern and the Chicago South Shore railroads service the site. The site also is 7 miles from the South Bend International Airport and connects by major highways to the Port of Indiana at Burns Harbor.
The IEDC provided “sales tax exemptions for eligible capital investments over a 50-year term,” according to a press release. It also offered the following performance-based tax credits: $18.3 million for workforce; $5 million for training; $55 million for business investment; and $20 million for redevelopment.
The company also is launching a grant program to support community programming for education, sustainability, economic and workforce development, and other initiatives. It already has committed $100,000 to the fund.
Ivy Tech Community College also is partnering with Amazon to provide programs that will train new workers in data center operations and fiber optic programs. They are on track to launch in 2025.
“At Ivy Tech, we recognize that life changes quickly, and it’s what drives us to move quickly to respond to a changing technology landscape and have the maximum positive impact on the state we call home,” said Molly Dodge, senior vice president, workforce and careers at Ivy Tech Community College. “Our goal is to make our graduates’ lives better as they enter today’s dynamic workforce. We value the collaboration across the academic and workforce ecosystem to build programs that serve as a catalyst for economic growth and individual prosperity.”
The Indiana Enterprise Center includes 2,920 acres for tenants such as American Electric Power, Air Gas, Carris Reels, Edcoat, Five Star Sheet, Gavilon Grain, Helena Chemical,Cleveland-Cliffs Tek and Kote, Just Packaging, Navistar, R&L Carriers, Red Hen Turf Farm, St. Joseph Energy Center, Smith Ready Mix, and Alkegen.
