In a recent government meeting, officials discussed a significant development project set to take place on Gullett Road in Fairburn, which is projected to bring substantial economic benefits to the area. The project, which includes the construction of two data center buildings, is expected to generate approximately 2,000 temporary construction jobs, with a peak of 500 jobs on-site during the construction phase. Once operational, each building will employ around 10 to 14 facility engineers, alongside 6 to 8 security staff and 10 to 40 IT professionals.

The total investment for the project is estimated at $1.2 billion, with the first two buildings alone representing an investment of $671 million and $536 million, respectively. This influx of high-paying jobs qualifies for job tax credits, which could enhance the local economy by attracting grocery stores and restaurants that rely on disposable income from residents.

Officials emphasized the importance of workforce development to ensure that Fairburn residents can access these job opportunities. They plan to collaborate with Georgia workforce development programs to provide necessary training for local residents, particularly for the high-tech positions that will be available.

Concerns regarding environmental impacts were also raised during the meeting. A representative assured attendees that a phase one environmental site assessment would be conducted, and if necessary, a phase two assessment would follow. The discussion highlighted that modern data centers are adopting cooling technologies that significantly reduce water usage, alleviating some environmental concerns associated with traditional data center operations.

The meeting concluded with a commitment to transparency and adherence to environmental regulations as the project progresses. Officials expressed optimism about the potential clustering effect of the data center, which could attract additional businesses to the area, further bolstering Fairburn's economic landscape.