Google has announced a massive $15 billion investment to build a new data center campus in Montgomery County, Missouri, marking one of the largest private investments in the state’s history. The development will be located near New Florence, around 20 miles west of Warrenton along Interstate 70, directly beside Amazon’s previously approved $35 billion data center project.
Together, the Google and Amazon developments are expected to cover nearly 2,000 acres in mid-Missouri, transforming the rural area into a major U.S. technology and AI infrastructure hub. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe called the announcement a historic moment for the state’s economy and technology sector.
According to the Missouri Governor’s Office, Google will pay for 100% of the electricity used by the facility, along with infrastructure costs directly linked to the project under Senate Bill 4.
Google says advanced cooling system will reduce water use
One of the biggest concerns surrounding large data center projects across the United States has been water and power consumption. Google said its Missouri campus will use advanced closed-loop, non-evaporative air cooling technology designed to significantly reduce environmental impact and limit water consumption mainly to uses such as kitchens and employee facilities.
The company says the project is part of a broader push to expand cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure in the United States. Alphabet and Google President Ruth Porat said the investment would support the “next wave of American innovation” while helping train workers and support energy affordability in the region.
State officials also said Google plans to work with the Construction Laborers and Contractors Joint Training Fund of Eastern Missouri to help train more than 2,300 construction workers over the next two years. Economic officials estimate that every direct job created at the data center could generate nine additional jobs across the surrounding community.
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Local opposition and lawsuit continue over data center growth
Despite the economic optimism from state leaders, data center expansion in Montgomery County has also triggered strong opposition from some residents. Community concerns include electricity demand, land usage, tax incentives and long-term environmental effects.
Earlier this year, local residents filed a lawsuit connected to the nearby Amazon Web Services project, accusing county commissioners of violating Missouri Sunshine Law requirements by failing to provide enough public transparency around meetings and water usage discussions tied to the developments. A hearing in the case is scheduled for June 1.
The Missouri project reflects a broader nationwide race among tech giants including Google, Amazon and Microsoft to secure land and energy resources for AI-focused infrastructure. Swikblog recently reported on another major expansion in its coverage of Amazon’s multi-billion-dollar data center and AI spending plans.
For Missouri, the Google announcement represents both a major economic opportunity and a growing debate over how communities should manage the rapid expansion of AI-era infrastructure.
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