It's official: Google coming to Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs, Ia. — It's official: Google will build a server farm in Council Bluffs.

The $600 million project will include two facilities spread over 1,185 acres and will include 200 workers with average salaries of $50,000, according to materials given to reporters this morning at a press conference in Council Bluffs.

Positions will include software technicians, facilities support, maintenance, systems administration and data center technicians. Operations will begin in the spring 2009.

Google hung a help-wanted sign –- virtual, of course –- at its Council Bluffs site today indicating that it’s ready to hire workers even though the facility won’t be up and running for another two years.

And company officials said they would seek out Iowans for the new positions.

“The brunt of our efforts will be focused here in Council Bluffs,” said Igor Livshits, western regional manager for hardware operations. “Hiring has been underway for a little bit and the efforts are being picked up today in earnest.”

Although Google will consider applicants from outside the area, it will focus its recruiting locally, he said. Job openings should be posted online by the end of the day, starting with core management followed by more entry-level positions.

Openings, along with more information about the Council Bluffs site, can be found at www.Google.com/CouncilBluffs.

Gov. Chet Culver said Google representatives soon will begin meeting with representatives from Iowa colleges and universities to talk about possible partnerships that could lead to Google jobs. Google officials met briefly this morning with representatives from Iowa Western Community College in Council Bluffs.

Livshits said the company likely will set up training programs with local institutions as well, similar to what it has done in other communities where Google has located.

"We are very proud to welcome Google to Iowa," Culver said in a prepared statement. “In making its decision, Google recognized what we in Iowa have known all along – our workforce and quality of life is second-to-none.”

Paul Froutan, director of operations for Google Inc. said the new center will help the company continue to provide users and customers with the best possible service.

“We look forward to joining the community and are grateful for the support from the state and local governments throughout our evaluation process,” he said.

Google's data center is under construction now on a 55-acre site at a new Council Bluffs business park.

Jobs at the data center will ensure the facility’s computers are running at optimum speed and efficiency 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Positions require a variety of skills, ranging from experienced data center managers and Linux administrators to technology assistants. The jobs have an average salary and other benefits equal to about $50,000 per year, creating an annual payroll of about $10 million.

Google Inc. will pay an estimated $65 million in property taxes over the next 15 years, according to a press release from the governor's office. The company made a concentrated effort to use as many local vendors and suppliers as possible so that the economic impact of this investment will have the greatest benefit, the release said.

“We are very pleased that Google selected Council Bluffs for such a large investment.” said Bob Mundt, President and CEO of the Council Bluffs Area Chamber of Commerce. “I think it demonstrates that all the hard work the community has put in to make Council Bluffs an attractive place for business has paid off.”