Community and Google Honored for Economic Strides

Google’s data center in Lenoir and Caldwell County was in the spotlight at the annual AdvantageWest banquet at the Grove Park Inn & Resort in Asheville, N.C. on Nov. 1. Rhett Weiss accepted the Golden Eagle award for Community Impact “for [Google’s] positive impact through investments and job creation on behalf of the people of Western North Carolina.” Rhett noted that the project was a team effort and profusely thanked the leaders of Lenoir and Caldwell County.

Rhett was on hand to accept the award and to deliver the keynote address at the banquet. His presentation, “Creating Tomorrow: The Web, The World and Western North Carolina,” highlighted Google’s history, corporate culture and societal impact. In addition to information regarding Google, Rhett explained exactly how the Lenoir/Caldwell County data center fit into Google’s overall Web strategy.

"The AdvantageWest staff and I have received a tremendous response from Rhett Weiss' address. His thoughtful remarks, multi-media presentation and entertaining wit held the attention of our audience of more than 525 citizens from across the region,” said Dale Carroll, CEO, AdvantageWest Economic Development Group. “It was extra special to conclude the evening with Google receiving our prestigious Golden Eagle Award for Community Impact and to have Rhett with us in person to accept on behalf of the new data center in the AdvantageWest community of Lenoir in Caldwell County."

Since announcing that Lenoir and Caldwell County would become the home of a $600 million Google data center earlier this year, the community has seen an upswing in new business and job creation. Working together, Google and the community have created a new buzz about an area once struggling due to the exportation of its established economic engines.