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Rumors of Apple Server Farm in Area


HopHead

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Agreed. It won't make up for the jobs that have been lost all at once... It will be a gradual thing. It's important to remember that the financial sector is taking at hit, but Charlotte city leaders are also focusing on other industries for more diversification. I read an article somewhere the other day (I have to find the link) that said there's an IT company (think Apple or Yahoo) looking at the region for an investment in the neighborhood of $1 billion. This might be more of a "bang" that you're thinking of...

EDIT: Here's the link I was referring to: $1 Billion Investment?. It is from the Biz Journals so take it for what it's worth I suppose... "Potentially" big news.

I had this post on another topic, but I didn't want to go off-topic there, so here's another update :)

It looks like NC is in the process of changing a corporate tax law to allow (or favor) a successful bid for Apple to build a $1 Billion Server Farm. There was a lot of buzz about this being in Mecklenberg county, but turns out it could also be in Catawba or Cleveland county where unemployment has been higher. There are numerous articles on the web, but found this one from the Gaston Gazette

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I had this post on another topic, but I didn't want to go off-topic there, so here's another update :)

It looks like NC is in the process of changing a corporate tax law to allow (or favor) a successful bid for Apple to build a $1 Billion Server Farm. There was a lot of buzz about this being in Mecklenberg county, but turns out it could also be in Catawba or Cleveland county where unemployment has been higher. There are numerous articles on the web, but found this one from the Gaston Gazette

Where ever they put it I hope they're a little more green oriented than Google in Lenoir. Perhaps they could recycle a place like an old textile mill site instead of buldozing acres of trees.

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Where ever they put it I hope they're a little more green oriented than Google in Lenoir. Perhaps they could recycle a place like an old textile mill site instead of buldozing acres of trees.

Well, since it's Apple one could only hope that's it more green :) I read somewhere else that there were some areas near the airport that were being scouted. Not sure if it's Apple or not for this one...

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Friend showed me an article a couple days ago that said Apple was indeed putting a server location in NC. I doubt they're looking at the airport area though because according to that article one stipulation from the state was that they had to place it in one of NC's poorer counties. I think Cleveland and Rowan county were the names mentioned, but I'm not positive on that without looking it back up.

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Well, since it's Apple one could only hope that's it more green :) I read somewhere else that there were some areas near the airport that were being scouted. Not sure if it's Apple or not for this one...

I believe the details on the incentive from the state require it to be built in one of the poorer counties. Obviously Mecklenburg ,or even one of the next counties over, would not be on the short list.

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I believe the details on the incentive from the state require it to be built in one of the poorer counties. Obviously Mecklenburg ,or even one of the next counties over, would not be on the short list.

Phillip Morris site in Concord would be pretty nice.

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Phillip Morris site in Concord would be pretty nice.

Agreed... Out with the old (tobacco) and in with the new (Apple)... This could help out Concord tremendously. Philip Morris leaving could end up paying bigger dividends. While its sad to hear about those PM employees losing their jobs, the tobacco industry is also a dying one, at least in the US.

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Cabarrus county isn't exactly a poor county relative to some of the ones west of here that have pretty much lost all of their industry. While Phillip Morris was a big loss, the NASCAR related businesses including 4 major racing teams pump a lot of money into the county as does Concord Mills, Carolinas Healthcare, S&D Coffee, Connexions, etc. My guess is that like Mecklenburg, Cabarrus won't be on the short or even long list for this server farm.

I suspect that it will be a county that has access to a lot of power, which would indicate a former mill town, and a lot of water which would mean one of the river counties. Polk, Cleveland or Rutherford county would fit the bill as they are on the Broad river basin. I should imagine that cold water coming down from the mountains would be a cheap source of cooling. (though maybe not so good for the environment once it is dumped back in the river) Cleveland and Rutherford county have an official unemployment rate of close to 16% which puts the real rate above 20%, i.e. 1 in 4 out of a job. I would put it in southern Rutherford.

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If Rowan makes the list of qualified counties, I vote there....easy access to Meck, a good community college, and county is asking Southern Power to increase (doube) energy capacity at the local gas fired power plant...sounds like that request would be related to a huge increase in electric demand (server farm).

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I don't think we should be pursuing server farms in NC....esp when we continue to build coal fired plants to provide our power. How about a software development center or a call center....those are MUCH better paying jobs and MUCH greener operations.

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I don't think we should be pursuing server farms in NC....esp when we continue to build coal fired plants to provide our power. How about a software development center or a call center....those are MUCH better paying jobs and MUCH greener operations.

There isn't the right talent for a software development outpost in Charlotte; certainly not in the rural areas.

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WBTV is reporting that Apple is considering setting up shop in the Cleveland/Catawba County area. The story didn't come right out and say they were coming, but like when Google began poking around, people began spreading rumors. Does anyone have news on this?

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I think part of the intent here is to create the jobs up front that would be required for building the facility. You don't need a Bachelor's or Master's degree in computer science for this. The actual IT jobs inside the facility would require attracting the personnel who likely don't live in one of these counties. For me, being an IT guy, I'd like to see these jobs here... I'm still on the fence about creating the tax breaks for Apple when they may of been putting the facility here anyways.

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Lowes Home Improvement did software development and ran all their IT operations, including all the high end system stuff, out of North Wilkesboro for decades. They still have jobs requiring pretty sophisticated software skills in that area. Foodlion does the same thing in Rowan county.

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I'm not so sure Lowes is a good example. They are moving their operations to Mooresville which makes them much more attractive to potential employees. I knew someone who used to work IT for Lowes and was less than impressed with the way the organization treated folks in technology. Most professionals who do software development would be extremely reluctant to work in a remote county. Cabarrus or even Gaston counties might work but not so sure about the rural counties. I'm sure someone will make the comment that when there aren't jobs people will take anything. Yeah that's true but people will bail when greener pastures (economy not in the red) arrive.

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I'm not so sure Lowes is a good example. They are moving their operations to Mooresville which makes them much more attractive to potential employees. I knew someone who used to work IT for Lowes and was less than impressed with the way the organization treated folks in technology. ....
That wasn't the point being made. Lowes ran that IT operation in North Wilkesboro and had no trouble attracting talent there for literally decades. Keep in mind the state Universities in NC turn out excellent graduates in the technical fields and many are from rural NC and don't mind returning. In regards to IT workers themselves, I would suggest that a job in IT generally sucks at any large company.
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Looks as if this is a done deal! Apple is said to be in the process of acquiring land and construction would start immediately after acquisition. Also, most rumors lean towards Catawba county as landing this facility. It is great to have such a leading company have such a key center with such proximity to Charlotte, even if it is just a data center.

I believe the only other data center Apple owns is in Newark, CA which is just south of San Francisco.

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^And another point to add is that it will mean up to 3,000 new jobs in the area too! :thumbsup:

The Shelby Star says it could be as little as 45 jobs. Of course they also think they have lost out to Catawba county so this could just be sour grapes, (4 days ago). I can't figure out why they think this has happened, BTW.

Catawba county comes closest to the CLT metro a the extreme NW side of Lake Norman.

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