Google to Build New Data Center In Lincoln

Lincoln Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird speaking at a news conference inside Google’s data center campus in Papillion on Tuesday, Aug. 22, 2023. (Courtesy of Google)

OMAHA–(KFOR/News Release Aug. 22)–A third Google data center is coming to Nebraska.

On Tuesday, Google announced that of the $1.2-billion that’s being invested this year in Nebraska, it will include plans to develop a data center site in Lincoln, approximately located in the area of 56th Street and Interstate 80. The total investment from Google into Nebraska is at $2.2-billion.

Nebraska Republican U.S. Senator Deb Fischer spoke at Tuesday’s announcement held inside Google’s Papillion campus, saying this will help grow the state’s economy, create jobs and “build on the success of our local communities’ thriving tech sector.”

Nebraska’s First-District Congressman Mike Flood said, “This investment underscores how our central location, competitive electric rates, and tax climate have attracted significant investments in a growing hub of data centers. Thank you to Google for your continued commitment and for helping bring more good jobs which will help the next generation live, work, and raise a family here in the Good Life.”

With the news of Lincoln getting a Google data center, Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird said is a “result of the strong business climate we have built through community partnerships and investments in infrastructure and workforce development.”

Google creates economic opportunities across the Cornhusker state. In 2019, Google broke ground on a data center in Papillion and has since created more than 120 jobs for Nebraskans in a variety of full time and external supplier roles, including computer technicians, engineers and various food service, maintenance and security roles.

In addition to Google’s existing campus in Papillion and its soon-to-be-operational site in northwest Omaha, near State Street and Blair High Road, Google will also build a new data center site in Lincoln. This growth is part of Google’s ongoing commitment to the Omaha-Council Bluffs, and now Lincoln, metropolitan area, which will play a significant role in Google’s United States data center portfolio as one of the fastest-growing regional hubs. The company recently announced a $350 million investment in its existing Council Bluffs data center campus.

In 2022, Google helped provide $4.34 billion of economic activity for thousands of Nebraska businesses, including publishers, nonprofits, creatives and developers. More than 112,000 Nebraska businesses used Google’s free tools to receive phone calls, bookings, reviews, requests for directions and other customer interactions.