Amazon data center to add millions of dollars in tax revenue to St. Joseph County

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — St. Joseph County is set to receive millions of dollars in tax revenue from the new Amazon Data Control Center which is already under construction.

The question is, how will the county use that money?

The $11 billion project, announced Thursday morning by Governor Eric Holcomb, is Indiana's largest capital investment ever in the state.

Along with this investment comes a chance for the county to benefit from the center's taxes and incentives which county officials call transformative.

Amazon is planning to pay two different types of taxes, real and personal property.

Bill Schalliol, the county's Executive Director of Economic Development, tells WSBT more about the revenue the county will receive beginning on day one of building operations.

“The value of these improvements is such a high-level. We haven’t seen this kind of investment and so when we look at the total aggregate of what this will bring in its millions of dollars in positive investments on the tax side on, you know a yearly basis,” said Schalliol.

The county says they already have some idea of how they'll use this money, but have yet to work out all the details. At the top of that list, is infrastructure.

“We've gotta have the infrastructure in place to get workers in and out of the area, but I think long-term it’s going to be about quality of life. This gives us the opportunity to invest in the quality of life that and just ways that we can’t even imagine at this point in time,” said Schalliol.

Along with infrastructure, Schalliol says this revenue will help them develop other parts of the county, specifically the western side.

“We will have to make some decisions, long-term do we turn some of that money to the local taxing units, help with the fire territories, help with the schools, help with the library systems and the town. So, a lot of revenue that will come to the community,” said Schalliol.

Overall, county officials say they're excited about the possibilities this revenue will bring in for the community.