Microsoft is planning to spend another $251.6 million to expand its massive data center campus in Boydton, a small town in Virginia.

The expansion was announced by Governor Terry McAuliffe, who congratulated the state on successfully competing for the high-profile project.

“Virginia’s data center industry has been booming for more than a decade, especially in rural Virginia,” added the state’s Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore. “Since 2005, more than 8,400 jobs and more than $11 billion in capital investment have been announced for this critical sector. Virginia’s momentum is bolstered by a powerhouse company like Microsoft on our corporate roster, which continues to make major investments in its Mecklenburg data center.”

Mecklenburg County courthouse
Mecklenburg County courthouse – Wikimedia Commons

Big fish, small pond

The modular campus in Boydton, Mecklenburg County, was announced in 2010 and built at the cost of nearly $500 million – at the time hailed as the largest economic investment in Southern Virginia history. It was expanded repeatedly, first in 2011, then in 2013, 2014 and 2015.

“Microsoft has now invested nearly $2 billion in its Mecklenburg facility and created over 250 jobs since 2010,” Governor McAuliffe said.

“With five expansions in six years, this company’s success continues to be a testament to Southern Virginia’s talented workforce and strong IT infrastructure. The Commonwealth is emerging as a leader in the data center industry, and we are honored to have such a valued corporate partner aid us in our efforts to build a new Virginia economy.”

The project is expected to create 44 jobs, and will be supported by a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund. It will also receive $970,000 from the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds – money earmarked for businesses that aim to ‘revitalize the economies of tobacco dependent regions and communities.’

“We will continue to invest in growing our capacity to meet the expanding demand of our customers in close collaboration with the Commonwealth of Virginia and the County of Mecklenburg,” said Christian Belady, general manager for Cloud Infrastructure Strategy and Architecture at Microsoft.