HENDERSON (KTNV) — Google broke ground in Nevada on its newest data center and announced a new Google Cloud region.
The new data center facility represents a $600 million investment in Nevada’s internet infrastructure, and the new Google Cloud region is designed to better serve Google Cloud customers operating in the Western U.S.
The tech company also kicked off a $1 million Google.org Impact Challenge Nevada and called on nonprofits throughout the state to submit their boldest ideas to create economic opportunities for their community.
Google announced its acquisition of a site in Henderson in 2018. Earlier this year, Google’s CEO, Sundar Pichai, detailed that the company will make over $13 billion in investments throughout 2019 in data centers and offices across the U.S., with major expansions in 14 states. As part of this announcement,
Pichai confirmed the company’s plans to develop a data center in Nevada.
The new Google Cloud region will give organizations in the Western U.S. and those doing business Nevada faster access to Google Cloud Platform products and tools that will help supercharge their businesses. When it launches, the region will have three availability zones and will support our standard set of GCP products, delivering simple, reliable and secure infrastructure and lightning fast data analytics and ML/AI capabilities.
The Google.org Impact Challenge Nevada will call on nonprofits statewide to submit their biggest and boldest ideas to create economic opportunities for their community. A panel of local judges will select the top five submissions to receive $175,000 to make their idea a reality. Afterward, the public can vote to select a “People’s Choice” winner to receive an additional $125,000. In total, Google.org will award $1 million to Nevada nonprofits in support of Grow with Google, the company’s initiative to help create economic opportunities for all Americans.
LINK: Google's Nevada Impact Challenge
Boasting a diverse set of backgrounds, the Google.org Impact Challenge judge panel is made up of local Nevadans who truly understand the importance of creating economic opportunity in our communities across the state. The panel is made up of:
- Former Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval
- Christopher P. Askin, CSPG, CFRE, President and Chief Executive Officer, Community Foundation of Western Nevada
- Dave Archer, President and Chief Executive Officer, Nevada’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology
- Doug Erwin, Senior Vice President of Entrepreneurial Development, Economic Development Authority of Western Nevada
- Peter Guzman, President, Latin Chamber of Commerce and the Opa Group LLC
- Mary Kerner, Chief Executive Officer, Rural Nevada Development Corporation
- Mary Beth Sewald, President and Chief Executive Officer, Las Vegas Metro Chamber of Commerce Commerce
- Amy Purdy, 3x Paralympic Medalist, author, and motivational speaker
Earlier this month, Grow with Google toured Nevada and held daylong digital skills workshops for community members at the East Las Vegas and Carson City Public Libraries. Google staff introduced hundreds of Nevadans to free Grow with Google tools and training in order to help find jobs they want, advance their careers and grow their businesses.
