Google Buys Land for New Data Center in Western Virginia
Tech giant paid $14 million and will invest an additional $4 million in community projects
June 30, 2025 – Another data center is coming to Virginia, courtesy of Google.
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Local officials announced Tuesday that the tech giant dropped $14 million for a 312 acre parcel of land in Botetourt County, located just north of Roanoke in the western part of the state. Google also committed to spend an additional $4 million improving the rural county’s fire department, law enforcement, schools, and other services, according to Botetourt County Administrator Gary Larrowe.
Virginia, known as the ‘Data Center Capital of the World’, is home to over 500 planned or operating data centers, though most are concentrated in the northern part of the state, which handles around 70% of global internet traffic. If constructed, Google’s data center would be the first in the county, and would consume all of the electrical output from the planned 79.3-megawatt Rocky Forge Wind power facility.
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Concerns about the environmental and noise impacts of data centers have dogged past projects. Google sought to avoid these concerns by planning to build its center in an industrial park. Local leaders, such as Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Member Walter Michael, applauded the move.
“Folks might be concerned about this proposed data center impacting their quality of life, but the project will be constructed within the existing Greenfield business park, adjacent to current industrial users,” Michael said. “Residents haven’t been inconvenienced by what’s already happening in Greenfield, and that’s not going to change with this data center campus.”
Botetourt County Supervisor Brandon Nicely agreed.
“By placing the facility in this small industrial hub, we would ensure that the remaining portions of our county maintain its beautiful rural character,” Nicely said.
According to Larrowe, officials have been working with Google to bring the data center to the county since January 2024. In November, zoning laws for the industrial park where Google will build its facility were changed to allow for the construction of the project.
Google agreed to cover the costs of bringing utility services to the site of the center, and said it would pay for the center’s water usage. It also agreed to pay property taxes of 0.7 percent of the property’s assessed value per year, according to Cardinal News. Governor Glenn Youngkin, R-Va., was optimistic about the project’s long term effects on the county.
“Google has invested significantly in the Commonwealth, and I am proud that they have chosen Botetourt County as the site of their newest data center,” Youngkin said. “This move signals the industry’s growing interest in expanding beyond Northern Virginia and highlights the county’s strong commitment to smart growth. I look forward to the positive effects this project will generate across the Roanoke region for years to come.”
Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Amy White touted the economic benefits the center would bring.
“This transformational project will relieve the pressure for further economic development in Botetourt County and will allow us to continue our deep support of community needs like public safety and education, while reducing pressure on the taxpayer,” White said. “As a lifelong STEM educator, I am pleased that this project offers long-term benefits like great jobs for our STEM students. It brings big tax revenue without disrupting the rural character we all value here in Botetourt and allows us to balance progress with preservation.”
