Google expands in Moncks Corner with $500 million investment

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Google is investing $7 billion nationwide and $500 million will go toward further expanding its Berkeley County operations.

With the expansion plans, the company anticipates creating 10,000 full-time jobs this year, though there are no specifics yet on how many of those positions could be in South Carolina.

In the Lowcountry, Google will expand its data center and overall footprint at the Mt. Holly Commerce Park facility in Moncks Corner.

“I believe a lasting economic recovery will come from local communities, and the people and small businesses that give them life,” said Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. “Google wants to be a part of that recovery. That’s why we plan to invest over $7 billion in offices and data centers across the U.S. and create at least 10,000 new full-time Google jobs in the U.S. this year.”

In 2007, Google first announced its plans to establish a South Carolina data center and made an initial $600 million initial investment to get operations up and running. Three years later the company said it would expand with a second building and invested another $600 million come 2013.

“Google has been proud to call Berkeley County home for more than a decade,” Google Head of Southeast Public Affairs Lilyn Hester said. “Our additional investment of $500 million in the state brings our total South Carolina investment to $2.9 billion. We look forward to continuing to make an impact.” 

Since its arrival in the Lowcountry, the company has become involved in area schools, supporting math and science programs, and distributing nearly $1 million in grants to area schools and nonprofits as well as supporting digital infrastructure.

Secretary of Commerce Bobby Hitt said Google’s investment is “extremely important” to the state.

“When a company like Google not only decides to locate in South Carolina, but also builds upon that, it sends a message to the entire world that the Palmetto State is open for business,” Hitt said in a statement.

Google’s Moncks Corner data center houses computer systems and associated components that support services such as Google search, Gmail, Google+ and YouTube.