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Apple agrees to build new data center in North Carolina

Apple has chosen to build a new data center in North Carolina that will inject a local economy with new jobs and excitement, as the company prepares for its first east coast data center.  The Cupertino-based company will likely invest more than $1 billion towards the new data center through 2018.

"North Carolina continues to be a prime location for growing and expanding global technology companies," Perdue said in a statement.  "We welcome Apple to North Carolina and look forward to working with the company as it begins providing a significant economic boost to local communities and the state."

The announcement follows Perdue's signing of a new North Carolina bill that alters corporate income tax liability, which will give Apple a $46 million state tax credit.

The Apple North Carolina facility will have up to 50 full-time employees once construction has been completed, the press release said.  Several locations are under consideration, with construction expected to begin immediately after Apple is able to find a suitable location.

In an agreement between Apple and the county, the average wage of employees at the facility must be higher than the standard wage in the county.  A $1 billion investment over nine years could help 3,000 jobs in the area, as construction contractors receive plans for the data center.

Cleveland and Catawba counties have been rumored as potential locations for the site, though Apple and state officials have remained silent.  The actual use of the data center and its size also remains a mystery, and probably won't be disclosed until construction begins.

Apple already has a 107,000 square-foot facility located in Newark, California.

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AppleData Center?
By lukasbradley on 6/5/2009 8:44:50 AM , Rating: 4
Would someone explain to me what an Apple Data Center is? Honestly. Every search I do comes back to this North Carolina story.

I can make lots of inferences, but I'd rather really understand it.




RE: AppleData Center?
By BigRedNole on 6/5/2009 9:01:41 AM , Rating: 5
It is simply that, a massive data center for storage based servers. It may lead to Cloud computing and other new technologies. The issue with this is that they are going to receive an insane tax break for 50 jobs. The construction jobs are meaningless because most of the people doing it are illegal immigrants. The Developer will subcontract to other builders and claim it is the other builders' responsibility to insure they are legal. Well, there will be 9 illegals to every 1 legal person working. Which means, tax is only collected for one employee.

All this amounts to is whoring out your state. The counties they are moving to have an average education level a few levels below a peanut. It will do nothing to stimulate the economy in those counties, let alone provide a job to the people other than maid services. The 50 "technical" people they need do not exist in those counties.


RE: AppleData Center?
By FITCamaro on 6/5/09, Rating: -1
RE: AppleData Center?
By FITCamaro on 6/5/2009 9:19:28 AM , Rating: 2
And if you hate the state so much, move.

I have a buddy in NC who is an architect and is currently unemployed due to the fall in the housing market. Who knows he could possibly get a job helping build this data center.


RE: AppleData Center?
By HinderedHindsight on 6/5/2009 10:54:51 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
Yeah and you can thank the Democrats and fake Republicans for that(illegals).


LOL, I thought real Republicans were all about self responsibility. Anytime I hear a Republican talking about the jobless/homeless, the theme seems to be that the jobless needs to get a better education, and those that do have solid education and are still jobless need to work with the free market forces (ie, reduce their own cost).

It only makes perfect sense that the Republican idea of personal responsibility goes out the window when there is a Democrat in office.

And it doesn't make any sense to consider illegal immigration as a portion of the free market. Republicans are all about a separation of government from the free market, except in the case of illegal immigration. Illegal immigration is a federal legal issue. It is only a free market issue in the case of those who lose jobs to immigrants. But if you truly believe in free market ideals, there really is no such thing as illegal immigration, just a downward push on wages due to environmental forces.

With Obama halting workplace raids, he's actually keeping governments nose out of the free markets business as Republicans claim to want.

But you wouldn't know it if asked a Republican. Why? Because there's no consistency in what they believe when there's a democrat in office.


RE: AppleData Center?
By FITCamaro on 6/5/09, Rating: 0
RE: AppleData Center?
By HinderedHindsight on 6/5/2009 11:46:38 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
There is absolutely no link between free markets,


Actually, let me correct you on this. This is actually my point. I do believe there is no intrinsic link between the two.

However, Republicans love to make a platform out in favor of the free market as well as against illegal immigration at the same time.

You're correct that there is no intrinsic link between the two; my point is that the republican argument in favor of the free market and against illegal immigration lacks consistency.

quote:
A nation only remains a nation if it can identify its citizens. And our nation has minimum wage laws set by the government. You would have done far better to argue against those. That is what illegal immigrants get around.


Very true, and if you thought about it, you can see how complete trust (as republicans favor) in free market forces tends to undermine these. Free market forces favor cheap labor. If that cheap labor happens to come in the form of illegal immigration, the free market doesn't care. However, Republicans somehow think control of illegal immigration and a completely unfettered free market can coexist- they really can't because control of cheap labor (in the form of illegal immigration and wage laws) becomes a control over the free market.

quote:
Illegal immigrants also do not pay taxes while legal citizens do.


As a result, Illegal immigrants are living the republican dream since republicans don't like taxes. So why do republicans want to kick them out? Under the republican ideal, we should all be illegal immigrants.(this is a joke, not an actual argument, since you *seem* to take yourself too seriously, I thought I should inform you)

quote:
A legal citizen cannot work for the same wage as an illegal immigrant.


The free market that Republicans believe in doesn't care about this.

quote:
Federal law would not allow the employer to pay them that little nor could they survive on the income since they'd be paying taxes on it.


Again, the free market that Republicans claim to believe in doesn't care about this.

What I'm pointing out is that controlling illegal immigration effectively becomes a control over the free market as illegal immigration results in lower costs for business.

You know what republicans call anything that might represent a constraint or control on the free market? Socialism. Wow, and that was a term that we all thought could only be applied to democrats.


RE: AppleData Center?
By mikeyD95125 on 6/5/2009 3:32:17 PM , Rating: 2
Well the concept of minimum wage which is a price floor, is not a free market idea. So I guess there are 2 obvious solutions to this problem.

1)Somehow kick every illegal immigrant out of the United States
2)Eliminate minimum wage thereby allowing U.S. workers to reduce their costs and compete with illegal immigrants.

Option 1 seems impossible. In option 2 if americans take these low paying jobs it could drive millions of illegals out of the U.S. because companies might as well hire citizens since there is no cost advantage to hiring illegals.

So let's try the Republican way return wages to free market forces.


RE: AppleData Center?
By FITCamaro on 6/5/2009 8:01:46 PM , Rating: 2
I did not advocate for the minimum wage. All it does is raise prices and cost jobs. Rarely do you see a Republican at the head of an effort to raise the minimum wage. Because its pointless. Wages go up and either prices go up or employers cut staff or hours.


RE: AppleData Center?
By Nfarce on 6/5/2009 11:37:24 AM , Rating: 4
quote:
But if you truly believe in free market ideals, there really is no such thing as illegal immigration, just a downward push on wages due to environmental forces. With Obama halting workplace raids, he's actually keeping governments nose out of the free markets business as Republicans claim to want.


Exactly what part of ILLEGAL do you not understand in "illegal immigration?"

quote:
But you wouldn't know it if asked a Republican. Why? Because there's no consistency in what they believe when there's a democrat in office.


That road certainly goes both ways when a Republican is in charge too:

1) Democrats whined about Republican deficit spending.
2) Democrats whined about Republican illegal wire tapping.
3) Democrats whined about Republicans not capturing Osama.
4) Democrats whined about Republicans sending jobs overseas.
5) Democrats whined about Republicans not pulling out of Iraq.
6) Democrats whined about Republican cronyism.
7) Democrats whined about Republican corruption.

I could go on and on that Democrats whined about the Bush administration doing, and now that Democrats are in office, they are deafeningly silent on the above issues going on CURRENTLY.

Feel free to add others here as you see fit folks!


RE: AppleData Center?
By HinderedHindsight on 6/5/2009 11:54:38 AM , Rating: 3
quote:
Exactly what part of ILLEGAL do you not understand in "illegal immigration?"


I understand the whole thing. What I'm saying is that Republicans don't understand (or don't care to understand) is that it effectively controls the free market they so vehemently believe in not controlling.

quote:
That road certainly goes both ways when a Republican is in charge too:

I agree with that 100%, however your subsequent list needs some adjustmnts.

1) Democrats can't help but spend in a deficit right now, it's what the economy needs.
2)It is definitely regretable that the Democrats in office ignored their supporters. I'm extremely disappointed in Obama for not reversing the standpoint of the Bush administration on this topic.
3)Republicans made it a goal to capture Osama, not Democrats. This is not so much whining as it is pointing out a Republican failure.
4)I'm not in favor of illegal immigration or shipping jobs overseas, no matter who's doing it.
5)And? Granted Democrats made a promise they probably couldn't keep in saying we would pull out quickly, but we still are pulling out.
6) Yeah, I agree, this happens all over the place. It's just symptom of politics.
7)Again, seems to be another symptom of politics.


RE: AppleData Center?
By ChuckDriver on 6/5/2009 11:58:46 AM , Rating: 2
quote:
1) Democrats can't help but spend in a deficit right now, it's what the economy needs.


Yes, indeed the economy needs the government to crowd out lending when the credit market is tight. It all makes sense now.


RE: AppleData Center?
By Nfarce on 6/5/2009 12:51:34 PM , Rating: 2
quote:
What I'm saying is that Republicans don't understand (or don't care to understand) is that it effectively controls the free market they so vehemently believe in not controlling.


Obviously you fail to comprehend that "Free Markets" and "Illegal Immigration" have nothing to do with each other. One is a systematic economic ideology and the other is ruled by LAW. But, as FIT said, neither party cares - not because of what you so freely want to believe about free markets - but because of free VOTES (illegal or not).

quote:
1) Democrats can't help but spend in a deficit right now, it's what the economy needs.


Surely you jest! You mean that "Stimulus" Package that was ramrodded so fast through Congress that nobody even READ the damned thing? Where later Democrats, including Obama himself acted SHOCKED that AIG bonuses were hidden in there?

2). Glad you are man enough to admit it.

quote:
3). Republicans made it a goal to capture Osama, not Democrats. This is not so much whining as it is pointing out a Republican failure.


No, Democrats wanted to get Osama as well - they served on the Senate Intelligence right alongside Republicans during the Bush years. The difference is that Democrats don't ever want to stick their noses out and make a RISK of failure. That's why they are careful to word everything so nothing will come back to haunt them (case in point, Pelosi's handling of the CIA waterboarding memo).

4). Me three.

quote:
5)And? Granted Democrats made a promise they probably couldn't keep in saying we would pull out quickly, but we still are pulling out.


Guess you missed the memo about the Obama administration and Democrat-run congress increasing military funding for Iraq then - as well as leaving the timetable open for staying in there.

6) & 7) - then don't say ONLY Republicans are prone to changing viewpoints (or not addressing what they championed being for/against) depending on who is in office.


RE: AppleData Center?
By Nfarce on 6/5/2009 1:05:05 PM , Rating: 2
Correction:

quote:
as well as leaving the timetable open for staying in there.


I meant: "as well staying with the final Bush withdrawal timetable for staying in there."


RE: AppleData Center?
By Nfarce on 6/5/2009 1:19:55 PM , Rating: 2
Oh good grief. And I forgot one of the biggest whining of all during the Bush years by Democrats: taking vacations when the economy was so sour back then. Obama Hawaii vacation, NYC "Date Night", and now a vacation in France after the Middle East. All in just four months in office when even as Obama himself said we are in the worst economic peril in our history and no Democrat utters even a peep about all this vacationing and showboating. And all the while GM dealers being singled out for closure by a Car Czar whose background is being a lawyer and who never ran a business in his life, let alone being involved in the automotive industry.

Yep, it all depends on who is in office.


RE: AppleData Center?
By ClownPuncher on 6/5/2009 3:38:29 PM , Rating: 1
So your point is that republicans and democrats are just as shitty? Cool, we agree. Vote libertarian.


RE: AppleData Center?
By FITCamaro on 6/5/2009 8:05:28 PM , Rating: 2
Don't forget his golf outing instead of visiting our fallen soldiers.


RE: AppleData Center?
By Nfarce on 6/5/2009 8:45:44 PM , Rating: 2
Oh of course! I just rattled off some topics off the top of my head that this guy seemed to have forgotten about Democrats doing. When he rattled off about Republicans not caring about things depending on who was in office, it was game on. Give me a little time and I can MORE than make up for what he said (although I think I already made my rebuttal point). But give the dude some credit: he admitted that a let down is a let down about Obama.


RE: AppleData Center?
By lukasbradley on 6/5/2009 10:18:12 AM , Rating: 2
I appreciate the response, but I know what a data center is... I'd like to know what is specifically "Apple" about an "Apple" data center.

Does this provide outside data hosting services to clients? Or is this an internal systems support endeavor?


RE: AppleData Center?
By bobsmith1492 on 6/5/2009 12:18:50 PM , Rating: 2
I would like to know as well. Funny, your innocent question spawned a whole rabbit-trail of posts...

Perhaps they host Itunes servers, song storage, and all the things on the Apple website like movie trailers?


RE: AppleData Center?
By mmcdonalataocdotgov on 6/5/2009 11:29:26 AM , Rating: 2
I just don't understand how a company NOT having to pay high taxes to give them an incentive to open a shop in the state, amounts to giving them money? It doesn't. That is money the state would not have seen in any event.

What happens is that 3,000 people are employed to build the site, then 50 or so are employed at high wages to run the site, not to mention utilities are paid. Now those people spend money on goods and services, which results in other people getting jobs, etc.

So the state sees taxes from wages and sales taxes, while the corporation has a smaller tax bill. That is not equivalent to giving the corporation money. It is equivalent to giving the citizens of the state an opportunity to get a job, which even if all 50 are farmed out to other parts of the country, the employees still move to the job site and require housing, goods, services, etc which boosts the local economies.

This is not a political issue. When the repubs are in office this is "big business" and when the dems are in office this is "socialism." But in fact, it is good for everyone.

Incidentally, the data center will probably be used for the banking indistry, which is huge in NC, especially in Charlotte.


RE: AppleData Center?
By MScrip on 6/5/2009 4:46:49 PM , Rating: 2
quote:

What happens is that 3,000 people are employed to build the site

Why do they need 3,000 people to to build a metal warehouse? 3,000 people? Do you even realize how many people that is?

What will they have... 500 contractors and sub-contractors, 500 bulldozer operators, 500 cement people, 500 electricians, 500 carpenters, 500 painters... doesn't 3,000 seem a little high?


RE: AppleData Center?
By Ammohunt on 6/5/2009 1:53:44 PM , Rating: 2
Its a data center where apple will store its Windows and Unix servers used to operate their business.


State sponsored socialism
By dreddly on 6/5/09, Rating: 0
RE: State sponsored socialism
By Zstream on 6/5/2009 8:09:42 AM , Rating: 2
Agreed, this makes little sense. The average injunction of cash is 920,000$ for each employee.... *sigh*


RE: State sponsored socialism
By oTAL (blog) on 6/5/2009 8:10:07 AM , Rating: 2
It's a tax credit and not subsidy.
Not that I agree with it.......


RE: State sponsored socialism
By Zstream on 6/5/09, Rating: 0
RE: State sponsored socialism
By therealnickdanger on 6/5/2009 8:16:19 AM , Rating: 4
It's not just the 50 tech-jobs, but the *potential* for 3,000 other jobs related to the construction process during the first year or so of construction. But not only that, since the bill would apply to any and all corporations seeking lower taxation, having a big name like Apple may spark interest from other corps and bring even more jobs to the state. Since the government (local, state, and fed) has put itself in the position of taxing all manner of income, only it has the ability to offer tax-related incentives like this. It takes de-regulation to bring growth.

Corporations (i.e.: jobs) thrive on lower taxes. Gee, whoda thunk?


RE: State sponsored socialism
By therealnickdanger on 6/5/2009 8:19:29 AM , Rating: 2
Oh, and socialism would be the government FORCING Apple to build, FORCING certain wages, FORCING the products being made, etc., then taking the profits (if there are any) and taking a massive chunk for itself then dividing up what's left to everyone else.


RE: State sponsored socialism
By GaryJohnson on 6/5/2009 2:17:08 PM , Rating: 2
Actually socialism would be the government building the datacenter and paying the employees with food (and other necessities).


By therealnickdanger on 6/6/2009 11:42:26 AM , Rating: 2
LOL true! I guess I'm not prepared to think that pessimistically yet. ;-)


RE: State sponsored socialism
By Mitch101 on 6/5/2009 11:03:24 AM , Rating: 1
quote:
the *potential* for 3,000 other jobs related to the construction process

This is great news for all the illegal immigrants.


By ClownPuncher on 6/5/2009 3:42:13 PM , Rating: 2
Stop employing them, problem solved.


RE: State sponsored socialism
By AlexWade on 6/5/2009 8:59:49 AM , Rating: 2
I've said it before and I'll say it again: my state is a big business whore. They put out for Dell even though it would take several decades to earn the money back from the taxes on employees. And there are many other examples to, all with the same effect.


RE: State sponsored socialism
By AntiM on 6/5/2009 10:02:25 AM , Rating: 2
The 50 jobs that will be created are irrelevant. A billion dollar construction project is significant. It may also prompt other investments in NC from Apple. I don't like corporate welfare either, but if NC doesn't do it, some other state will. I think it's a good catch for NC.

California is a disaster and it wouldn't surprise me to see a lot of tech companies looking for greener pastures.

I doubt Apple will close down a facility on a snap decision after they have invested 1 billion dollars in it.


Come on.
By icanhascpu on 6/5/2009 8:34:25 AM , Rating: 1
So Apple is helping create a few thousand jobs, even for a short time, and people still find something to bitch at them about. Apple can do no right on this site.

I sware, they could cure cancer and you all would still find a way to make them seem evil. Get over it already. This is good news not bad news.




RE: Come on.
By BigRedNole on 6/5/2009 9:05:00 AM , Rating: 1
The jobs are for illegals, not citizens. There will be no State or Federal taxes collected for much of the work. Then, the 50 people that they do employee will commute from another county because the people in those counties do not have technical expertise. Many of them just found out that there is electricity *sarcasm off* You have to live in this state to understand what is happening. It is Dell all over again.


RE: Come on.
By lokigreybush on 6/7/2009 8:51:38 AM , Rating: 2
Apple, Google, Dell, Bruton Smith.

We have given tax breaks to all of them to keep or create jobs in NC. These incentives come from money that we would not have raised otherwise. Instead of looking at the large dollar amount and going crazy, think of it like a cell phone contract. We give you nice shiny phone, you stay our loyal (atm) customer for two years.

Also as a resident of one of the counties mentioned I find your comment offensive. Furthermore if you are a resident of this state yourself, how can you possibly be against bringing more jobs here?


RE: Come on.
By acase on 6/5/2009 10:51:12 AM , Rating: 3
If apple could cure your cancer it would cost at least an arm, a leg, and your soul. But at least all of your friends in starbucks would think you were the coolest, cancer free, amputee in the world.


What the hell...
By joeymac on 6/5/2009 10:36:55 AM , Rating: 4
.. are you guys all talking about? $46 Million for a billion dollar construction project is a bargain. A large percentage of that billion is materials.. which are purchased in the state. Those materials are probably taxed. The fuel is taxed to move those materials around. There are air con, heating, vending machine, water, electrical etc etc companies which will get work, food sales from all the workers and their families. Then, after it's built there are maintenance costs and parts, not to mention the running costs of massive data center. Such places run up huge utility bills, all of which is taxed. Hell, the thing will probably pay back that tax break on survey costs, environmental impact tests and the fees/taxes from just buying the land.




RE: What the hell...
By ClownPuncher on 6/5/2009 3:48:05 PM , Rating: 2
Lets not ruin a good thread by injecting logic and critical thinking skills.


what will it use ?
By swizeus on 6/5/2009 9:09:58 AM , Rating: 2
Apple data center, what will the data center use for its server ?




RE: what will it use ?
By Nekrik on 6/5/2009 2:10:44 PM , Rating: 2
Bet it'll be Unix/BSD on that, I doubt even Apple would run OSX Server for anything mission critical. OS X server is reserved for those educational institutions the Mac salespeople dupe into buying. Maybe they'll have one or two in the location just so they can say they do indeed run OS X Server in their datacenters.


Green Apple?
By nineball9 on 6/5/2009 8:56:29 AM , Rating: 1
The green apple photo is not a macintosh apple. Too green, I think, to be a Granny Smith, Apple Records' symbol.
An iFactory in iCarolina?




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