A common theme is evident in recent economic and workforce development news from DEED: Center.

First, DEED announced its intention to support U.S. Bank‘s $250 million data center in Chaska with a $287,000 grant from the Job Creation Fund.

Chaska plans to approve a tax abatement of nearly $548,000 over 20 years to support the project. The city is working with DEED and GREATER MSP to secure a $250,000 grant to support $1.13 million in infrastructure improvements – data centers need a lot of space – at the electric substation that will supply reliable and cost effective power to the data center.

The company expects to complete the project in early 2018 and employ about 18 full-time, permanent workers.

Minnesota’s data center industry supports hundreds of jobs statewide.

Since 2012, more than 25 new or refurbished data centers have been completed in Minnesota. Those projects represent a capital investment of more than $1.8 billion and over 2.2 million square feet of added space. Nearly 90 percent of the facilities are in the Twin Cities, which ranks eighth among the nation's large metropolitan areas for the size of its data processing workforce. 

Second, Enhanced Resource Centers LLC, a Florida-based debt collection business, will open a call center in Willmar, creating 238 new positions. The company will pay wages that average $14.19 an hour and invest $2 million in building improvements over the next three years. DEED is also supporting that project with a $563,183 grant from the Job Creation Fund.

In both business expansions, the companies receive the funding after meeting investment and hiring commitments.

Third, the North Minneapolis WorkForce Center has a beautiful new location at 800 West Broadway Avenue in Minneapolis, offering the same great level of service, class offerings and job search assistance. NorthPoint Health & Wellness, located ‘under the same roof,’ provides services to improve the health and well-being of members of the North Minneapolis community, including medical, dental, behavioral health and human services.

Look for a celebratory ribbon-cutting event at the 800 West Broadway Avenue building in the spring of 2017.