Google, the tech giant on Wednesday revealed that it is investing $15 billion in a data center development in Montgomery County, Missouri. This data center is located about an hour west of St. Louis. Additionally, this project reinstates Missouri’s position as a leading AI infrastructure hub, with the state recently seeing the groundbreaking breaking of a Gigawatt-Scale AI Factory.
Furthermore, Google’s data center project will sit on more than 900 acres near Interstate 70. This is next to a site where Amazon previously committed to building a $35 billion data center.
However, Wednesday’s announcement did not include specific details about the development itself. According to materials published by Montgomery County, they describe a multi-building data center campus designed with closed-loop, non-evaporative air cooling technology. This is intended to limit water use and reduce environmental impact.
Data Center Projects Face Tough Opposition
Data centers, locally and nationwide, have faced pushback from local communities. There have been water and electricity concerns being raised. The St. Charles City Council on Tuesday, for example, voted to ban data center development there.
Beyond the Data Center Investment
Google, through its announcement on Wednesday, decided to lay out a series of initiatives that attempt to allay those concerns, while showing its investment in Missouri expands beyond the data center. That includes:
1. Union Training
A large investment in union training. Company officials didn’t disclose an exact figure, but said they want to train 2,300 laborers and 1,500 apprentices.
2. Electricity Generation Increase
A pledge to increase electricity generation capacity. The company revealed that it has already contracted to bring more than 1 gigawatt of new electricity generation capacity to Missouri. This will be along the development of at least 500 megawatts of additional capacity via a partnership with St. Louis-based electric utility Ameren.
3. Energy Impact Fund
They would create a $20 million Energy Impact Fund to support programs that drive down monthly energy bills for consumers. This will focus on Montgomery, Clay, Platte and other counties surrounding Google’s planned data centers in Kansas City and New Florence. Addition one of the fund recipients, the North East Community Action Corporation, will engage in home repair and energy efficiency upgrades within and around Montgomery County.
Technology
Google said the Montgomery County data center will use advanced air-cooling technology, limiting water consumption to kitchens or similar areas.
“To deliver the upside of technology, we are investing in workforce development and energy affordability, both directly and through our partnerships with local organizations,” Ruth Portat, president and Chief Investment Officer of Google’s parent company, Alphabet, said in a news release. “This commitment will provide thousands of Missourians with valuable technical and trade skills, while supporting energy affordability for residents in Montgomery County and across the state.”
Significance of the Project
Kehoe stated that the Google project represents more than just mere physical infrastructure.
“It’s an investment in Missouri families, communities, and long-term opportunity,” he said in a prepared statement. “We are proud to partner with companies like Google that are helping drive economic growth while making a meaningful difference in the communities they call home.”
The project will include multiple data center buildings and supporting infrastructure. Its construction will potentially commence as soon as late 2026. Moreover, project information from Montgomery County indicates the development could create thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent jobs, and would represent a significant long-term investment in the county’s tax base and utility infrastructure.
The site plan for the project was approved in November 2025. However, at that time, it was not yet known that Google would be the end user. This was reported by the Montgomery Standard newspaper. The developer of the project is Related Digital. This is a data center development platform which is also serving as the construction partner, a spokeswoman said.
Project Factsheet
Location: New Florence, Montgomery County, Missouri
Status: Announced / In Development (May 2026)
Total Investment: $15 Billion
Land Footprint: 900+ acres
Cooling Technology: Advanced closed-loop, non-evaporative air cooling (minimizes water consumption to domestic use only)
Power and Grid Support: Over 1 GW of contracted new generation capacity; partnering with Ameren for an extra 500 MW. Utilizes Missouri’s Capacity Commitment Framework (CCF) to protect ratepayers.
Employment Impact: Thousands of construction roles; hundreds of direct, long-term operational positions.
Workforce Development: Collaborating with the Construction Laborers and Contractors Joint Training Fund of Eastern Missouri to train 2,300+ laborers (including 1,500 apprentices).
