After weeks of speculation, packed meetings, and growing public tension, Scioto County Commissioners finally revealed the name behind the proposed Franklin Furnace data center project — and it’s a much bigger plan than originally discussed.
At Thursday’s commissioners meeting, the board unanimously approved a tax abatement agreement tied to the project and disclosed that Google has been working with Scioto County for the past seven months on what officials now describe as a large-scale data center campus with the potential to support up to 500 permanent jobs and years of construction work.
Commissioners handled routine county business at the start of the meeting — approving minutes, transferring funds, and passing resolutions — before saving the controversial tax abatement vote for the very end of the agenda, as another full house gathered to speak for and against the project.
“The Who Matters More Than the What”
Commissioner Scottie Powell acknowledged the frustration many residents have expressed over not knowing which company was behind the proposal.
“We’ve heard people ask, ‘Are you even listening to us?’ and ‘Do you know something we don’t?’” Powell said. “The answer has always been yes — and the reason is the who matters more than the what.”
Powell said not knowing the company fueled fear and allowed residents to assume the worst examples of data centers nationwide.
“Today, I can tell you we’ve been directly working with Google for seven months,” he said. “And that matters, because you don’t have to take our word for it — you can look at their track record right here in Ohio.”
Powell pointed residents to existing Google facilities near Scioto Downs, noting nearby neighborhoods and school districts operate next to the sites without noise or visual disruption.
“If you’re worried about noise, go sit in the school parking lot. I did it yesterday,” he said. “If you’re worried about labor, ask the union workers in this room who’ve been driving to Columbus for years to work on Google sites.”
Bigger Than First Described
What commissioners emphasized Thursday is that this proposal is not a single building, but a multi-phase campus.
“This isn’t just a data center,” Powell said. “It’s a campus that can conservatively support 500 permanent jobs and years and years of construction.”
Commissioners stressed again that they do not control zoning, land use, or whether a data center comes to Scioto County at all. The land has been marketed by the State of Ohio for mega-development for years.
“What we are deciding,” Powell said, “is whether we want a seat at the table.”
Why the Tax Abatement Matters
Commissioners said Google initially requested a 75% flat tax abatement, which the county did not approve.
Instead, the final agreement includes:
- A negotiated Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILOT) structure closer to a 50% effective rate
- Land remaining fully taxable
- Revenue that commissioners say would be 23 times higher than what the soybean field currently generates
- Guaranteed local labor language written into the agreement
Commissioner Merit Smith said county attorneys told the board the deal is the most community-favorable tax abatement Google has agreed to in Ohio.
“This gives us leverage,” Smith said. “Without an abatement, we wouldn’t even be in the room.”
Commissioner Will Mault added, “I believe this is in the best interest of future generations in this county.”
Despite continued objections from residents concerned about environmental impact, transparency, and long-term benefits, the board voted 3–0 to approve the abatement.
