Atlanta State laments data center growth

Georgia state lawmakers are trying to curb the proliferation of data centers spreading across the state, including in the Atlanta metro area. A CBRE report suggested that the region saw a 211% increase in data center projects under construction between 2022 and 2023, the largest increase in the country.

The Georgia Senate has voted to suspend tax breaks for data centers while a special committee examines network capacity in the state. The bill has already passed the State House. Georgia has granted data center operators an exemption from state sales tax since 2018. In addition to overloading the network, lawmakers noted that the centers hire few workers, compared to the tax breaks they receive.

The Atlanta Business Chronicle reports that Atlanta City Council members all signed a law banning the construction of data centers in the BeltLine Overlay District and within a half-mile of transit stations. Council members lamented that data centers take up space that could be used for other purposes.