Apple Agrees to Invest $250 Million at Oregon Data Center Site

[MacRumors]

Associated Press reports that Apple has reached a deal with local governments to finalize its plans for a new data center in Prineville, Oregon. According to the report, Apple has agreed to invest $250 million in facilities on its 160-acre property, and will offer an annual $150,000 "project fee" in lieu of property taxes over the next fifteen years. The company has also guaranteed to bring at least 35 jobs to the center at 150% of the average wage in the county.

The $150,000 project fee in part of an agreement with Apple that was made public this week. Prineville City Manager Steve Forrester called it a common arrangement.

The Oregonian reports that the value of the tax break will depend on how much Apple winds up investing. Similar tax breaks on Google's $1.3 billion data center in The Dalles are worth more than $24 million to the company annually, the newspaper said.

Apple paid $5.6 million for the project site back in February, and has already begun installation of a modular data center in order to build out some capacity ahead of construction on the main facility. Apple noted earlier this week in response to a Greenpeace report on data centers being powered by coal-derived energy that it intends for its Prineville data center to run on "100% renewable energy".

Apple's new data center in Maiden, North Carolina

Apple just recently opened another data center in Maiden, North Carolina, where the company has indicated that it plans to spend $1 billion. The company is building a 20-megawatt solar farm and a 5-megawatt fuel cell facility at the data center, two of the largest privately-owned renewable energy projects of their kind in the country.

Article Link: Apple Agrees to Invest $250 Million at Oregon Data Center Site

[chirpie]

God bless photoshop for making our businesses' skies and parking lots so pristine.

[ristlin]

"No, you're wrong. Look it up." - Greenpeace

[MultiMediaWill]

$25 in Apples eyes

[arcite]

Apple is spreading like a virus!

[bedifferent]

Here come the Greenpeace versus Apple debates

[2bikes]

At least 35 jobs? Amazing! That will reduce Oregon`s unemployment!

[Peace]

Originally Posted by 2bikes

At least 35 jobs? Amazing! That will reduce Oregon`s unemployment!

The construction of the datacenter will produce a lot more than 35.

[appsforkids]

Originally Posted by chirpie

God bless photoshop for making our businesses' skies and parking lots so pristine.

LOL, yes it is a beautiful facility and a great way to spend some of that Apple cash, gotta support those great photoshop artists.

[basesloaded190]

Any idea how large this data center will be compared to the new one they just built? Being the smart ass i am, i would guess 1/4 of the size seeing as though they are investing that much compared to the NC center.

[Will do good]

Where can I apply for the 35 jobs that pay 150% of the average wage in the county

[cvaldes]

www.apple.com/jobs

[Worksafe]

Companies such as Google and Apple should look at sewage and garbage to fuel these centres since it is an ever increasing problem that cities face on getting rid of it.

[Konrad]

Originally Posted by Will do good

Where can I apply for the 35 jobs that pay 150% of the average wage in the county

At Foxconn. Soon.

[LaWally]

Damn. Look at all those windows. The last two data centers in which I worked had no windows at all.

[Supermacguy]

Tax incentives for 35 jobs?! 35!!?? Who is running that county?

[NokX]

Land of the free*. Where you have to pay rent to the government for the private property you already bought - or else. <insert suspenseful music>

[imageWIS]

Originally Posted by Peace

The construction of the datacenter will produce a lot more than 35.

Yeah, during a set time frame. And then what will those construction workers work on?

[bedifferent]

Originally Posted by Konrad

At Foxconn. Soon.

LOL Awesome

Originally Posted by NokX

Land of the free*. Where you have to pay rent to the government for the private property you already bought - or else. <insert suspenseful music>

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHjFxJVeCQs

[Rocketman]

Originally Posted by Worksafe

Companies such as Google and Apple should look at sewage and garbage to fuel these centres since it is an ever increasing problem that cities face on getting rid of it.

They could contract with Waste Management which specializes in that, but not being 100% green, only 70%, they would still get negative feedback from the likes of Greenpeace (misnamed organization).

Apple is already more green than 80% of corporations and 100% of corporations with up to 30% of their market cap.

Being a no-win, which is ironic because they are actually trying, the only way to win is not to play!

Rocketman

[springerj]

Originally Posted by NokX

Land of the free*. Where you have to pay rent to the government for the private property you already bought - or else. <insert suspenseful music>

You mean to the government that records your title, staffs the fire dept., hires the sheriffs deputies, maintains the roads to get there, supplies the water, processes the sewer, keeps you from fouling the air and water, built the dam and transmission lines that delivers power?

[bedifferent]

Originally Posted by Rocketman

The only way to win is not to play!

Rocketman

[cvaldes]

Originally Posted by imageWIS

Yeah, during a set time frame. And then what will those construction workers work on?

Probably another commercial construction project elsewhere in the state.

At least that's how it works here in Silicon Valley. There is a pretty constant stream of construction projects of varying size and complexity. The big commercial construction companies (Devcon, Butler, Arrillaga, etc.) have lots of teams and allocate resources to various projects, some running concurrently.

It's not like they put an ad on Craigslist asking for 250 construction workers for six months.

[ScottishDuck]

Originally Posted by NokX

Land of the free*. Where you have to pay rent to the government for the private property you already bought - or else. <insert suspenseful music>

Yeah public services cost nothing, obviously.

[oldwatery]

Originally Posted by springerj

You mean to the government that records your title, staffs the fire dept., hires the sheriffs deputies, maintains the roads to get there, supplies the water, processes the sewer, keeps you from fouling the air and water, built the dam and transmission lines that delivers power?

Well said....plus then they gat to pay no taxes for 15 years. What is wrong with this country? No wonder we are in such a bloody mess! I love Apple products in the main but as a beneficial and caring company they stink!