By Jheri Hardaway
Staff Writer
Woodsdale Township, NC - Person County is set to become the newest home for a Microsoft data center, a development expected to significantly boost the local economy. According to county property records and local press, Microsoft recently paid $26.85 million for a site spanning over 1,300 acres in Woodsdale Township.
"Microsoft's presence in Person County will boost our local economy through direct and indirect means, leading to job creation, sustaining a low tax base, and enhancing housing opportunities, among other benefits," Brandy Lynch, Person County's economic development director, told WRAL News. Lynch added that the deal has been in the works for approximately 18 months.
The announcement comes as a continuation of Microsoft’s investment in North Carolina's digital infrastructure. Data Center Dynamics previously reported that Microsoft is developing multiple data center sites across the state. In November 2022, the company announced plans to invest at least $1 billion in building four data centers in Catawba County, located about 50 miles northwest of Charlotte. Since then, the company has broken ground on three sites in that county.
The expansion highlights the growing importance of data centers globally. According to Cloudsense, there are over 12,000 data centers worldwide, with half of them located in the United States. These facilities, which act as warehouses for computer services, utilize massive amounts of energy for both power and cooling.
Proximity to these centers is crucial for speed, meaning businesses, gamers, streamers, and other technology-based operations will benefit from being located near the new Person County facility.
