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Google to Expand Data Center in The Dalles by Staff KGW, March 24, 2016

THE DALLES, Ore. -- Google this week announced plans to expand its data center in the Dalles, which opened in 2006.

The data center expansion will increase capacity on the Internet for Google and allow for more users.

The expansion, which includes a new building, will cost approximately $600 million and hold 75,000 servers. Take a virtual 360-degree tour of the Google Data Center in The Dalles (best viewed on Google Cardboard).

The Mayor of The Dalles, Steve Lawrence, is thrilled the company is expanding.

"I'm a Google fan. Where would we be if we couldn't say you might want to Google that?" he said.

Lawrence said Google is an excellent community member, helping pay for needed upgrades and repairs to the city. He's not at all shy about saying the tax breaks given to Google are fair.

"If you had a building full of diamonds and we said we're going to tax you on the value of the diamonds, I don't thing that would be fair. We see this as an equitable arraignment," Lawrence said.

Google is able to avoid paying most property taxes. In return, it makes direct payments to The Dalles. Lawrence said those payments will total $36 million over 25 years.

Wasco County Commissioner Scott Hege said local leaders have worked hard to make Google feel welcomed and tax breaks help.

"And so that's what we worked to accommodate and I think obviously this investment here kind of speaks to that. That we've been able to make a climate that they're able to invest in here and keep them here and we're very proud of that," Hege said.