Scoring Google’s $1B data center feels like Super Bowl overtime as KC keeps notching wins, officials say
March 20, 2024 | Nikki Overfelt Chifalu
Kansas City is hitting it out of the ballpark, said Mike Parson, returning from the governor’s office to the region Wednesday for yet another major economic development announcement — this time, a billion-dollar Google data center coming in 2025.
“Maybe I should say, ‘You’re hitting it out of the ballpark and scoring touchdowns,” Parson, R-Missouri, told a crowd gathered for the data center’s announcement.
“Google’s selection of the Kansas City region is another example of our state’s ability to attract and support world-class companies,” the governor added.
RELATED: Google to build $1B data center in Kansas City; aiming for 24/7 carbon-free energy use
Wednesday’s announcement comes nearly two years to the date of Google rival Meta’s unveiling of plans to build an $800 million data center in the region.
Jon Stephens, president and CEO of Port KC, speaks during an announcement event for Google’s billion-dollar data center in Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“Every time we see the governor in Kansas City, it’s a good thing,” noted Tim Cowden, president and CEO of the Kansas City Area Development Council, “because we’re either recruiting a company here or we’re — like today — announcing a big opportunity.”
Kansas City is on a roll, shared Jon Stephens, president and CEO of Port KC.
“But we never want to take it for granted,” he added.
Kansas City has always been a hub of communications, a hub of logistics, a hub of transportation, Stephens noted.
“From messages coming up the Missouri River, to the Pony Express, to the telegraph, to becoming the world’s first Giga City,” he continued. “Google’s commitment to Kansas City today is just the latest case of that crossroads of becoming a logistic center for data, information, technology for the future.”
Ora Reynolds, president and CEO of Hunt Midwest, joins Google in celebrating the announcement of Google’s billion-dollar data center in Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
The new Google data center — which could open as soon as 2025 — is set to be located in the Hunt Midwest Business Center on NE Parvin Road.
“I feel like we are in overtime at the Super Bowl and we just won,” said Ora Reynolds, president and CEO of Hunt Midwest, which was founded by the Hunt family, who also own the Kansas City Chiefs.
Monique Picou, global vice president of cloud supply chain and operations for Google, announces the tech giant’s plans for a billion-dollar data center in Kansas City; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
Monique Picou, Google global vice president of cloud supply chain and operations, is no stranger to Kansas City and even calls herself a Chiefs fan.
“My first adult full time job was in the Kansas City metro,” she explained, “and how nice to come back and to get to talk about new jobs.”
“And how much better is it that I get to come to this airport,” she added, noting the new terminal at Kansas City International Airport, another recent victory for Kansas City.
Google’s announcement is a testament to the resources, talent and welcoming spirit of the Kansas City community, she continued.
“Together, Kansas City and Google will help power America’s digital future and we are excited to contribute to the bright future of the region,” she said.”
Featured Business
2024 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Lawrence-based Sweet Jane magazine offers safe space for women to get candid about cannabis
Satisfying her own curiosity, Katy Ibsen penned an article on cannabis opportunities for publishers. “There were niche magazines being published, there were B2B magazines being published, there was ‘High Times’ and ‘Dope,’” Ibsen, now founder, editor and publisher of Sweet Jane magazine, said of her research for the piece. A 10-year publishing vet with a…
Cannabis founder’s advice: Weed out the bad seeds; run green startups like real businesses
Cannabis might seem like it presents a Wild West frontier for entrepreneurs looking to strike green, said Michael Wilson, but would-be founders must cultivate a plan grounded in common sense — and the law. “In the industrial hemp or marijuana space, if you want to build a successful business, run it like a real damn…
Show Me Hyperloop: Missouri panel confident it can win route with $300M+ test track
If Missouri wants to win the race for a Virgin Hyperloop One route connecting Kansas City and St. Louis, the Show Me State must foot the bill for a 12- to 15-mile test track that could cost taxpayers, the state and private partners more than $300 million, according to a new report. “This initial segment…
Cyber threats and opportunities: Why did 50+ KC schoolgirls get a peek at Fishtech’s high-security campus?
You never know when an opportunity will find you, Alex Vendetti told a group of Kansas City high school girls touring the Fishtech Group cybersecurity campus. “I was a hairstylist before this,” Vendetti, a project manager at Fishtech, told groups of students making their ways through the cybersecurity startup’s sprawling Martin City facilities Friday. The…