Montana finds it hard to get data centers without incentives – States competing for data centers extend $1.5B in tax breaks

Montana’s top business recruiter traveled to California’s Silicon Valley this summer to meet with key executives at what he described as two "data-intensive companies."

His goal: Persuade them that Montana is a good place for a large-scale computer data center, or at least to get them to think about including Montana on the list of states being considered.

It’s a challenging objective, because Montana has no specifically crafted incentives for data centers. Almost half the other states do, including its western competitors of Oregon, Washington and Wyoming.

By DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/business/local/montana-finds-it-hard-to-get-data-centers-without-incentives/article_c9cb0103-6cb1-5240-b4c0-9e089a45984c.html

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States competing for data centers extend $1.5B in tax breaks

The former limestone mine seemed perfect for a large computer data center. The air was cool. The rock walls provided a defense against natural disasters. And the tunnels bored into a Kansas City hillside had access to abundant electricity and fiber-optic cables.

But the mine lacked something important: tax breaks. Without them, several companies chose instead to locate their data centers in neighboring Kansas. At least one major project opted for North Carolina.

By DAVID A. LIEB

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/business/technology/states-competing-for-data-centers-extend-b-in-tax-breaks/article_16dae67f-93af-58cb-94c8-b370c4fe6c27.html