From the Des Moines Register:
Microsoft says it will build a data center in Iowa.
But that's about all it's saying. "Microsoft can confirm that we are building a data center in Iowa, but have no further comments at this time," said Monica Drake, a Microsoft spokeswoman, in an e-mail Wednesday following questions from The Des Moines Register about the status of the center in West Des Moines.
The Redmond, Wash., software giant told the state last week that it was interested in building a $100 million data center in West Des Moines, where the company owns about 40 acres.
In a letter to the state, West Des Moines said it's competing against San Antonio and Chicago for the project.
West Des Moines leaders reacted cautiously to Microsoft's statement Wednesday.
"We're not going to pop the cork on the champagne until they call us," said West Des Moines Mayor Steve Gaer. "We feel good about meeting what Microsoft said it needed to make that a viable site. But other than that, we've received no notification" that West Des Moines had won the project.
Clyde Evans, who leads West Des Moines' economic development efforts, declined to comment.
Microsoft planned to build a nearly $600 million data center there, until the recession forced the company to drop its expansion plans last year....MORE
