Missouri has approved tax incentives for data centers - and an underground facility is among the first to take advantage.  

Bluebird Network recently purchased the SpringNet Underground data center, a well-established site in need of upgrading. Bluebird originally planned to take those updates steadily, but found that new tax incentives enacted this summer allowed the company to accelerate its plans.

Incentive fits all sizes

Missouri is offering sales tax abatement to data centers who meet specific levels of investment and job creation - but set those levels quite low. While some states requirehundreds of millions of dollars in investment, Missouri firms can get abatements with an investment of only $25 million over three years, and the creation of at least 10 jobs that pay 50 percent more than the average annual wage for the county where the data center is located.

The SpringNet underground installation was created back in 2000 and was one of the first data centers to repurpose an existing underground location - in this case an old mine. Operating as SpringNet Underground, it catered to customers including Dallas-based healthcare provider PHNS, until bought by Bluebird. 

Bluebird, Network, the first firm to come out and say that the incentives affected its data center plans, expects to save almost $200,000 on an $8 million investment in upgrading the existing facility.

This news comes on the heels of reports that other states, such as Montana, are having trouble attracting data center investments, despite being suitable locations due to climate, geography, and connectivity options, due tio the state not offering competitive tax relief for data center investment.