.png)
BASTROP — The Bastrop County Commissioners Court unanimously approved a tax agreement Monday morning with what may become a mult i-bi ll ion- dol lar fac i l i t y within its jurisdiction.
Specifics of the property tax abatement for EdgeConneX, a Virginia- based data center operator, remain private, but the county’s representatives made it clear they wanted to secure the potential tax revenue presented before them.
“We don’t have many tools at our disposal,” Clara Becket t said, Preci nc t Two com- missioner. “Taxes are pretty much the only tool to get what we would want here.”
The proposed project would span about 112 acres on Farm to Market 535 in Cedar Creek, according to company representative Todd Workman.
While Workman estimated the site at $4 billion, with $1.4 billion in costs of improvement, the facility would only create around 60 full-time jobs. However, the expansive facility, planned in four phases over five to eight years, would require the employment of nearly 400 construction workers that the advisor stated would be sought out locally.
According to Workman, the development is projected to generate about $7 million for the county and $100 million for Bastrop Independent School District over 10 years. The land current ly generates around $25,000 in tax revenue annually, he added.
The project received support from commissioners due to its potential economic benefits, despite the tax incentives. The agreement was also approved in part to prevent Edge-ConneX from considering other locations, which Workman stated his anonymous “customer” was considering.
For more information and details on the court meeting, check in with the Courier at elgincourier. com and follow on facebook.com/elgincourier/.
