Data centers touted

Marion County commissioners received an overview Monday on data center development. They heard about potential economic benefits and infrastructure demands as the industry grows across Kansas.

The discussion was informational only.

Recent state actions have made Kansas more competitive for development, Consultant Tonya Witherspoon said.

“Senate Bill 98 is giving people that are building data centers in Kansas a sales tax abatement,” she said. She the state has invested in broadband infrastructure.

Witherspoon described data centers as ranging widely in size and function.

“A data center can be that small to as big as two or three Walmarts put together,” she said.

The facilities underpin everyday digital activity while also supporting emerging technologies.

“Data centers are the backbone of the digital economy,” she said.

According to Witherspoon, Kansas is particularly suited for smaller “edge” data centers located closer to users, which are needed for applications such as precision agriculture and health care.

“We need to have an inferencing data center very close to us in order to have that kind of connectivity,” she said.

She also pointed to potential economic benefits.

“A data center can equal an entire subdivision of people in property tax value,” she said.

Commissioner Jonah Gehring asked if there was a moratorium on the state level, to which Witherspoon answered there was not.

Crofoot asked whether data centers could coexist with existing wind energy development. Witherspoon answered the two can coexist, particularly with smaller facilities.

Facilities can vary widely and noted they rely on fiberoptic infrastructure.

“There is nothing going down into our soil or our groundwater,” she said.