NORTH PLATTE, Neb. — The economic impact of data center development in Nebraska was highlighted this week as the Data Center Revolt Bus Tour made stops in Lincoln and North Platte.
The American Edge Project, a coalition of nearly two dozen domestic organizations, released information outlining economic and community benefits it says can result from data center and artificial intelligence infrastructure investments.
The release comes as communities across Nebraska and the country continue to debate how data centers should be developed and regulated, including questions surrounding energy use, water, infrastructure, jobs and local impacts.
AEP CEO Doug Kelly said communities should consider both potential benefits and protections when evaluating data center projects.
“Nebraska communities should ask hard questions and demand clear protections,” Kelly said. “But stopping responsible data center development would also mean losing skilled-trade jobs, local contracts, tax revenue and major infrastructure investments.”
According to figures cited by AEP from a 2026 economic contribution study, Nebraska's data center industry contributed approximately $2.9 billion to the state's GDP in 2024, supported about 18,690 jobs and generated approximately $165 million in state and local tax revenue.
AEP also cited investments by Google and Meta, saying the two companies have reported more than $17.5 billion in data center investment in Nebraska.
The organization highlighted several examples of economic and community investments associated with data centers, including construction and operational jobs, workforce training, funding for schools and nonprofits, and investments involving energy and water infrastructure.
AEP said Meta's Sarpy County data center supported approximately 1,300 skilled-trade workers during peak construction and now supports more than 300 operational jobs.
The organization also cited Google's Nebraska operations, which it says generated more than $4.2 billion in economic activity in 2025 for businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers across the state.
AEP's release also points to energy and water projects connected to technology companies, including a project involving 320 megawatts of renewable energy and a Platte River Basin project intended to improve irrigation efficiency and conserve groundwater while maintaining agricultural production.
Data Center Debate Continues Locally
The economic discussion comes as Lincoln County has spent much of 2026 reviewing how potential data center development should be regulated.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved new data center regulations August 31 through Resolution 2026-29. The regulations address issues including infrastructure, water and wastewater capacity, electricity, roads, noise, emergency response and other development standards.
County officials have said the regulations are intended to establish standards for any future development rather than respond to a specific project. During the August 31 meeting, county officials said there was no data center project under consideration as part of that hearing.
The county's regulations followed months of discussion by the Planning Commission and public hearings. Residents and other members of the public have raised questions about the potential effects of large-scale facilities, while officials have worked to establish requirements for any projects that could be proposed in the future.
The American Edge Project's Nebraska release focuses on the potential economic benefits of the industry, while the Data Center Revolt Bus Tour has focused attention on concerns about the effects of large data centers on communities, including energy, water and infrastructure.
The competing perspectives are part of a broader national discussion over how communities should balance potential economic development with the local impacts of large-scale data center facilities.
AEP's Nebraska fact sheet includes additional information about the economic figures and investments cited in its release.
Editor's note: The economic figures and investment totals in this story are figures provided by the American Edge Project and the sources it cites. They describe the organization's position on the potential economic impact of data center development and are not an independent assessment of any future project in Lincoln County.