Google has confirmed it is behind a major data center campus proposal in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Reports of Project Zodiac, a 12-building campus spanning more than 700 acres, first surfaced in October 2023. The project –bounded by East Tillman Road, Adams Center Road, and the railroad track – was granted approval by Allen County in November.
At the time the developer was described as a Fortune 100 company that operates data center campuses globally.
Google spokesperson Devon Smiley last week confirmed to local press that the company is behind the plans.
“When Google joins a new community, we are committed to being active members and partnering closely with local leaders to meaningfully contribute to the priorities of that community,” Smiley told InsideIndianaBusiness. “Fort Wayne is no different; in partnership with the City of Fort Wayne, the sale of the land will support community-wide initiatives.”
Details about data center specifications, campus capacity, or development timelines are yet to be shared.
Google had previously been linked to the site. In late November 2023, reports surfaced suggesting the search giant was behind the project, based on information from a whistleblower within Allen County staff.
Fort Wayne is located in northeast Indiana, northeast of Indianapolis, east of Chicago, and west of Columbus. It is not an area commonly associated with data center development - local operators Indiana Data Center, Lifeline, and SafeHouse operate facilities in the city.
“I want to extend a warm Hoosier welcome to Google and its new data center,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said. “This is yet another example of the Indiana momentum that’s reaching all corners of our state. Northeast Indiana has the tools, resources, and workforce to support this exciting partnership with Google, especially in an industry so important to our digitally driven future.”
Fort Wayne Mayor Tom Henry added: ”Today’s announcement by Google is a major win for our community. The City of Fort Wayne looks forward to having Google as the partner for its new data center.”
Another Fortune 200 company – going under the Liames LLC moniker – is planning a large campus outside Toledo, Ohio, to the east of Fort Wayne.
