RED OAK – The City of Red Oak is going to be googling soon alongside neighboring Midlothian. That is if everything works out the way council and staff are anticipating.
Google agreed last week to build a $600 million data center on 160 acres north of Wells Fargo Bank in Red Oak.
Red Oak City Manager Todd Fuller said at last week’s city council meeting in open session the Red Oak City Council approved a tax abatement agreement, zoning application and a preliminary plat with Alamo Missions, LLC for a Google data center site.
“City representatives have been working with Google for the past several months and this is the first steppingstone toward the possible development of a new Google data center in Red Oak.”
Fuller confirmed the location will be in the northwest quadrant FM664 and SH342 an area currently being used for agriculture.
“Although we are still early in the process, we are extremely excited about the possibility of a second Ellis County Google site here in Red Oak” said Mayor Mark Stanfill.
According to the tax abatement requirements, this project will employ a minimum of 40 direct employees.
It would also create additional indirect employment within the Red Oak area, both during construction and permanently. In order to receive the incentive, the company is also committed to at least $600 million of investment into the community.
Fuller said even with the tax abatement, the City of Red Oak could anticipate approximately $475,000 in property tax revenues.
Additionally, the city would see revenues generated from electric utility franchise fees.
This would also create a significant positive economic benefit to the Red Oak ISD since they are not involved in the tax abatement.
“Although we are excited and hopeful at this point, the final deal is not yet complete,” said Fuller.
“There are still additional steps in the process before Google will finalize the purchase of the property, including tax abatement incentives with Ellis County, so no timeline for development has been established.”
The city is excited about the possibility of its new commercial resident since Google is an excellent corporate citizen known to give back to the communities in which they are located.
Last month Google announced two additional investments in Texas: the acquisition and development of a new data center in Midlothian, and an expansion of the company’s presence in downtown Austin with the lease of two new buildings.
Google is also reportedly investing $600 million to develop the Midlothian site, the same amount as anticipated in Red Oak.
“We hope to establish a long-term relationship with Google that will benefit Red Oak and Ellis County for years to come,” Stanfill concluded.
Google has called Texas home for the last 12 years, and these investments represent the company’s continued commitment to the state.
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