Gov. Terry McAuliffe recently announced Microsoft Corporation is investing $251.6 million to expand its data center site in Mecklenburg County and increase capacity to serve its growing customer base. Virginia successfully competed against other sites in the U.S. for the project, which will create 44 new jobs.

According to a press release from the governor’s office, Microsoft’s original project in 2010 involved an investment of up to $499 million and 50 new jobs. In 2011, the company invested an additional $150 million to expand the site, and in 2013 announced a $348 million expansion. In June 2014, Microsoft invested another $346.7 million, creating 90 new jobs. The company expanded for a fourth time in November 2015, investing $402.4 million and creating 42 new jobs.

“Microsoft has now invested nearly $2 billion in its Mecklenburg facility and created (more than) 250 jobs since 2010,” 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.”

“Virginia’s data center industry has been booming for more than a decade, especially in rural Virginia,”  Secretary of Commerce and Trade Todd Haymore said. “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.”

“The demand for cloud services continues to grow globally as cloud services are transforming entire industries,” said Christian Belady, general manager, Cloud Infrastructure Strategy & Architecture, Cloud Infrastructure and Operations at Microsoft. “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.”

The Virginia Economic Development Partnership worked with Mecklenburg County to secure the project for Virginia. McAuliffe approved a $500,000 grant from the Commonwealth’s Opportunity Fund to assist Mecklenburg County with the project. The Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved $970,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project.

“Mecklenburg County is again pleased that Microsoft Corporation has decided to expand their Boydton data center for the fifth time,” Mecklenburg County Board of Supervisors Chairman Glenn Barbour said. “This expansion continues to showcase our county and its attributes to the world. We look forward to continuing our close partnerships with Microsoft, and our state and local partners as this project continues to grow and expand our local economy.”

“The Tobacco Commission is pleased that Microsoft has found our region to be a good location to continue to expand its data center capacity,” said Sen. Frank Ruff, vice chairman of the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission. “The company has been a great asset to Mecklenburg, and we look forward to this latest expansion.”

“I am very excited that Microsoft continues to grow and expand in Mecklenburg County with its fifth expansion since 2010,” said Delegate Tommy Wright, chairman of the Southside Economic Development Committee of the Tobacco Commission. “I am also very pleased that the Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission approved $970,000 in Tobacco Region Opportunity Funds for the project. The continued investment in Mecklenburg County of $251 million and the creation of 44 new jobs is great for Mecklenburg County and for the Commonwealth of Virginia.”