Google Accelerates Data Center Expansion in Arkansas, Near Oklahoma
Google is moving aggressively to expand its data center footprint across the central United States, with major projects advancing in Arkansas while new developments also take shape just across the Oklahoma state line.
The expansion comes the same week it was confirmed that Google plans to build a data center east of Medicine Lodge, Kansas, near Oklahoma, underscoring the company’s rapid push to scale infrastructure needed to support artificial intelligence, cloud computing, and digital services.
$1 Billion Data Center Planned at Port of Little Rock
According to a report by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Google is developing a $1 billion data center at the Port of Little Rock, citing sources familiar with the project. The facility is expected to span approximately 300,000 square feet and would represent Google’s second major data center investment in Arkansas.
The Little Rock project follows Google’s ongoing construction of a $4 billion data center campus in West Memphis, one of the company’s largest infrastructure investments in the region.
Part of a Multi-Location Strategy
Economic development leaders say the Little Rock project fits into a broader, multi-site strategy by the tech giant.
Jack Thomas, vice president for economic development at the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, previously told the newspaper that a similar $1 billion, 300,000-square-foot data center planned for Conway, Arkansas, would be part of a “multi-location investment.”
That approach mirrors Google’s strategy in Oklahoma, where the company already operates a large data center at MidAmerica Industrial Park in Pryor and continues to explore additional regional sites.
Energy and Water Demand Loom Large
As with Google’s Oklahoma projects, electricity and water demand are emerging as key challenges in Arkansas.
Experts say hyperscale data centers require enormous amounts of power to operate servers, cooling systems, and backup infrastructure, often consuming as much electricity as tens of thousands of homes. Water usage for cooling, particularly during peak demand periods, has also become a growing concern for communities evaluating new data center proposals.
Local and state officials are expected to weigh those infrastructure demands carefully as projects move through planning and permitting phases.
Regional Impact Extends Beyond State Lines
With major investments underway in Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and the broader Mid-South, Google’s data center expansion is increasingly shaping regional energy planning discussions, utility investments, and long-term grid reliability strategies.
As utilities, regulators, and lawmakers confront rising power demand driven by AI and cloud computing, Google’s next moves could influence infrastructure development across multiple states for decades to come.
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