MUSKOGEE, Okla. — A technology company is investing 100 million dollars into Muskogee to create the community’s first operational data center. It’s expected to bring jobs and economic growth to the area.
Dozens of containers sit in Port Muskogee’s John T. Griffin Industrial Park. Crews have been hard at work getting Polaris Technologies, Inc. bitcoin mining facility up and ready.
“Our community is serious about bringing businesses in here,” said Bert H. Johnson.
Bert H. Johnson lives just a few miles from the industrial park.
“It seems like Muskogee is going out of their way to bring progress and help the community and that’s what we need,” said Johnson.
Port Muskogee said it’s a big deal the company chose 42 acres of its land. Polaris is not only investing money, but about 20 new jobs into a needed industry.
“That is an emerging industry that we in Muskogee have really been trying to target in the tech industry,” said Jeff Underwood.
Jeff Underwood, Deputy Port Director at Port Muskogee, said the data center will use 200 megawatts of energy. It’s a portion of the 1,000 megawatt substation OG&E recently built at the industrial park.
It’s a part of their focus on site readiness with more than $4 million dollars worth of road improvements and city and county help to extend water and sewer lines.
“That has really been such a catalyst for us to be able to attract data centers that are looking at this site that would love to utilize this power and also the different infrastructure we’ve built out there to support these projects,” said Underwood.
For some people in town, they’re thankful for the investment.
“You have to invest money to make money,” said Johnson. “If you want to bring an attraction or company in, you have to show your potential and let them feel welcome.”
Port Muskogee said Polaris is calling this phase one of the project. The Port said the company is optimistic about a phase two expansion that could possibly double its capacity.
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