<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2HiPIg_1GrBVudh00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2HiPIg_1GrBVudh00" width="600" height="480" ><figcaption>An aerial view of the Meta data center under construction at the Sage Mill Industrial Park. Photo courtesy of Aerial Photos Elite</figcaption></figure>AIKEN — There's plenty of noise, both figuratively and sometimes literally, surrounding data centers.There are concerns about water usage, power consumption and noise pollution.But the economic incentives can be "transformational" and bring "generational wealth" to communities, according to a panel discussion held Nov. 6 at Newberry Hall.At the First Friday Means Business breakfast put on by the Aiken Chamber of Commerce, attendees heard from representatives from two of the three data centers under construction in Aiken County.Laura Warren, community development regional manager for Meta, and Chris Gatch, chief revenue officer for DC BLOX, were joined by Will Williams, president and CEO of the Western SC Economic Development Partnership.Each made a presentation about the positive impacts that data centers can have in communities and then fielded questions submitted from chamber members.There are three data centers that have been approved in Aiken County: Meta, DC BLOX and Oppidan."Every project is local at the end of the day," Gatch said. "Get beyond headlines and debates and get down to the details. The benefits can be great for communities that can find a way to get these facilities there."Warren echoed that sentiment, noting how much Meta is involved in Aiken County."I think one of the most common misconceptions is the community benefit," she said. "That part has been lost in the discourse. And the long-term economic benefits. Everywhere is in a race to build out (artificial intelligence), and there will be winners and losers."All three data centers received economic incentives from Aiken County Council, and Williams explained how much each data center is paying through the fee-in lieu-of-taxes agreement.Meta, for example, will pay a $4.8 million fee when fully operational. The previous owners of the 557-acre trace paid just $537.78 in property taxes, he said.Ditto for Oppidan ($539,066 fee vs. $23.43 in property taxes) and DC BLOX ($174,487 fee vs. $38.84 in property taxes), he said."They are paying money," Williams said. "They are not getting a free ride."Together, the three data centers will bring a total investment of nearly $855 million, create new property tax revenue of $5.5 million and have a combined annual payroll of more than $11 million.On power concerns, Williams said data centers must pay for studies up front and also underwrite the construction costs for new infrastructure."They could pay that money and it could be determined that they could not be served," he said. "That's what separates the real folks from the tire kickers when they have to put this kind of money up front."On water usage, Warren said Meta has a goal to be water positive in 2030 through minimizing water use and restoring more water than it consumes globally.Gatch also touched on the importance of building digital infrastructure."AI is the most consequential technology of our lifetime," he said. "It's important that this happens. We have to find a way as a country to do this on a macro level."While some communities have pushed back against data centers that want to build in their areas, Aiken County has been receptive. To date, there has been no discussion of a moratorium or ban from Aiken County Council, Aiken City Council or North Augusta City Council."I grew up in a small town and I'm trying to convince my family to encourage a data center in that community because it is transformative," Warren said. "It's generational wealth for that community, it's better school systems, it is parks and it's all of the things."Private dollars do not fall out of the sky. The real benefits are overlooked by the pro/con lists everyone is creating. And I don't want communities to miss out on those moments."Williams agreed and said Aiken County was fortunate to have the three data center companies."Imagine this type of revenue in some of the counties close by that aren't as lucky as we are," he said, touting better schools and lower property taxes among the benefits. "It would be transformational. We have won, y'all."</div></body>

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AIKEN — There's plenty of noise, both figuratively and sometimes literally, surrounding data centers. There are concerns about water usage, power consumption and noise pollution. But the economic incentives can be "transformational" and bring "generational wealth" to communities, according to a panel discussion held Nov. 6 at Newberry Hall.

Aiken County data centers could bring 'generational wealth,' industry representatives say

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AIKEN — There's plenty of noise, both figuratively and sometimes literally, surrounding data centers. There are concerns about water usage, power consumpti

Aiken County data centers could bring 'generational wealth,' industry representatives say

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