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Data Centers

Greater Des Moines (DSM) is located in the heart of Iowa and in the middle of the Midwest, providing a strategic and reliable location for data centers. Additionally, bragging rights like comparatively low power costs, competitive tax incentives and increasing investment in renewable energy contribute to big things happening here in DSM for the data center industry. 

New Data Centers

Innovative tech companies such as Meta (Facebook) and Microsoft have opened data centers within the region over the past 12 years. Microsoft opened its first data center in West Des Moines in 2012. Since then, Microsoft’s presence has grown to seven campuses , including two scheduled for development in the near future. This investment in the region has led to DSM becoming an epicenter for the AI revolution, with Microsoft’s Azure supercomputer (located in DSM) being among the largest and most powerful in the world. Meta's Altoona data center will become the company's largest in the world by 2025, with more than 5 million square feet onsite.

According to a study, Meta's Data Center expenditures have totaled $11.5 billion and contributed a cumulative $18.6 billion in GDP to the U.S. economy from 2017-2019. For every $1 million in operating expenditures, there were 18 jobs supported, and for every $1 million in data center capital expenditures, there were 14 jobs supported in the local economy.

Apple is constructing 400,000 square feet at their Waukee data center campus. Apple acquired 2,000 acres in Waukee in 2017.

LightEdge Solutions recently completed a new data center in Altoona — a $34 million investment. Colocation centers such as InfoBunker and OneNeck IT Solutions also call DSM home.

A graduation cap with text that says "41% of the population in the MSA ages 25-64 hold a bachelor's degree or higher." Graphic that says, "The DSM region boasts large, pre-qualified development ready data center sites."