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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Yahoo will double size of Quincy operation

QUINCY – Size matters, right? Just ask Yahoo! Inc., which is about to double the size of its Quincy data center.

Yahoo said Monday it will add about 300,000 square feet and thousands of servers to its 8-year-old Quincy facility. The expansion will double the size of the company’s operation at the junction of Road P NW and Road 11 NW and add an unspecified number of jobs, the company said in a news release. Currently Yahoo in Quincy has 50 employees.

The tech company is expected to break ground this week on 20 acres next to the current facility with a May opening expected for the expansion.

Yahoo will use its energy-efficient “coop” design for the data center expansion, said Pat Boss, spokesman for the Port of Quincy. Resembling a chicken coop, the design uses prefabricated metal boxes with built-in louvers to increase the use of outside air for cooling and reduce the need for electrical fans to pull air into the building. The coop design also speeds construction.

The company’s expansion follows the state Legislature’s renewal earlier this year of tax breaks for rural data center operators. Under the incentives, data centers are exempt from sales tax on purchases of tech and infrastructure equipment, such as servers, fiber optics, wiring, ventilation and other components.

Boss said power for the expansion has already been allocated for Yahoo’s use. “All these data centers reserved power ahead of time for future use,” he said. “These are smart people who forecast their power needs far into the future.”

Yahoo’s decision to expand its Quincy data center, said company spokeswoman Suzanne Philion, “is a direct result of the unbeatable mix Quincy offers: impressive local talent and abundant renewable energy sources,” including low-cost land, cheap hydropower and a stable water supply.

That local talent covers everything from computer know-how to data center construction and maintenance, said Emily Braunwart, business recruitment manager for the Grant County Economic Development Council. “Some people are educated right here in Grant County through tech programs and Big Bend Community College,” she said. “Some are trained elsewhere and move here specifically to get a high-tech job.”

Overall, the expansion “is a reflection of the company’s commitment to the people of Quincy, Grant County and the state of Washington,” said Philion. “Over the years, Yahoo has developed lasting relationships with the local community, both through the jobs they have created, as well as the company’s charitable contributions and volunteer initiatives.”

Quincy Mayor Jim Hemberry said the expansion “will create additional good-paying technology jobs in Eastern Washington, not just Seattle.” He and other area officials pointed to the expansion’s increased property taxes to support schools, which will help continue programs for students to learn skills related to the data center industry.