Well, folks, I almost spilled my coffee reading this one. Quincy, Washington, a small farming town, has become a hub for data centers, and it’s been a game-changer for the local economy. A $15 million aquatic center with a six-lane pool, waterslides, and a lazy river has opened, and it’s part of the public parks splurge in the city. The town is also getting a 143,000-square-foot indoor sports complex, called the Q-Plex, next year. I mean, who wouldn’t want to live in a town with a fancy new aquatic center and a sports complex? It’s like they’re trying to make the town a mini-resort or something.
The data centers have created around 900 jobs for engineers, pipefitters, and electricians, and each of those jobs generates four to six other jobs in construction, retail, and local services. That’s a lot of jobs, if you ask me. And the best part is that the data centers are shouldering about 57% of the town’s property taxes, funding the city’s public building spree. It’s like they’re the town’s sugar daddy or something.
But, of course, not everyone is happy about the data centers. Some people are concerned about the environmental impact, and others are worried that the data centers are pricing out long-time residents. I get it, progress can be a double-edged sword. The town’s Hispanic population has increased significantly, and many of them work in agriculture and food processing. However, the data center boom has made the town unaffordable for some of these workers.
The town’s demographics have changed significantly over the years, with the Hispanic population increasing from 37% in 1990 to around 75% today. And, apparently, the data centers are not the only thing that’s new in town. New businesses, nonprofits, and neighborhoods have popped up to cater to the people moving to town, and the poverty rate has fallen from 29.4% in 2012 to 6.2% in 2024. That’s a pretty impressive turnaround, if you ask me.
Microsoft was one of the first companies to set up a data center in Quincy, and it’s been a magnet for other companies. The town has some of the lowest power rates in the country, thanks to two public hydroelectrical plants on the Columbia River. And, apparently, the data centers are not the environmental monsters that some people make them out to be. They use a significant amount of energy, but they also pay for the infrastructure and generation needed to serve their large power loads, so the costs are not spread to residential customers.
But, despite all the benefits, there are still some tensions in the community. Some people feel that the data centers are not providing enough jobs and economic benefits to local residents, especially the predominantly poor Hispanic farm and food processing workers. And, with home prices doubling over the last decade, it’s getting harder for people to afford to live in the town. I mean, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows, folks.
In conclusion, the story of Quincy, Washington, is a complex one. While the data centers have brought in a lot of revenue and jobs, they’ve also priced out some long-time residents and created tensions in the community. But, hey, as they say, “you can’t have your cake and eat it too.” Or, in this case, you can’t have a fancy new aquatic center and a sports complex without some trade-offs. And, on a lighter note, I’m just wondering what’s next for Quincy – a water park, maybe? 🏊♀️
Armchair patriot. Believes in the free market, cold beer, and that there’s always a guy named George behind every CNN segment.
Former remote-throwing champion turned #1 couch commentator on liberal panic in the media. Born in Texas (or so his mug says), he earned a degree in Fake Newsology & Beer Philosophy from YouTube University.
