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Microsoft plans $1 billion data center in northwest Indiana

Microsoft is the fourth major tech company to announce in 2024 its plans to invest in data centers in Indiana.
Microsoft is the fourth major tech company to announce in 2024 its plans to invest in data centers in Indiana.

Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Tuesday that Microsoft plans to invest $1 billion on a new data center in northwest Indiana.

Microsoft plans to build the data center in La Porte. The investment, which will support the company’s cloud computing infrastructure, is expected to bring only about 200 jobs within the next eight years.

With its announcement, Microsoft becomes the fourth major tech company this year saying it will invest big money in Indiana. Meta  plans an $800 million data center in Jeffersonville, Google  a $2 billion facility in Fort Wayne, and Amazon an  $11 billion investment in data centers in Saint Joseph County.

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Likely part of what’s luring such investments: those companies are all eligible  under state law for a sales tax exemption of up to 50 years on the equipment they buy for their data centers.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at  bsmith@ipbs.org  or follow him on Twitter at  @brandonjsmith5 .

Brandon J. Smith has previously worked as a reporter and anchor for KBIA Radio in Columbia, MO. Prior to that, he worked for WSPY Radio in Plano, IL as a show host, reporter, producer and anchor. His first job in radio was in another state capitol, in Jefferson City, as a reporter for three radio stations around Missouri. Brandon graduated from the University of Missouri-Columbia with a Bachelor of Journalism in 2010, with minors in political science and history. He was born and raised in Chicago.