7.5 billion euro investment in data center in Calatorao

Aragon adds new data center to its territory with approval Rhodes project Blackstone, which will require a €7.5 billion investment in the area. Thanks to this new project, confirmed by the regional chief executive Jorge Azcon, Aragon becomes relevant as a strategic enclave for major investments in this technological sector. This project complements the projects of the University of Zaragoza’s technology campus and Microsoft and Amazon data centers already under construction.

Green light for Rhodes project. As the statement highlights, the Council of Government has already approved the Declaration of Autonomous Interests with General Interests (DIGA) for this project, so procedures have begun for the construction of a new data center campus in one of the industrial areas of Zaragoza. Municipality of Calatorao.

“Without a doubt, Blackstone was able to see the enormous potential that Aragon had. This large company recognizes that no other territory in Europe meets the conditions for hosting data center campuses in the same way that Aragon does,” Jorge Azcon noted in his speech.

An important investment for Aragon. The Blackstone data center will represent an investment of €7.5 billion and has a potential contribution to Aragon’s gross domestic product of between €16.5 billion and €25.45 billion over the next 25 years. The President of the Aragon government called the investment “historic”, stressing that the region will be positioned as a benchmark in Europe.

The 224 hectare infrastructure will be developed on industrial land located in Calatorao, next to the A-2 highway. The arrival of the Blackstone data center will mean the creation of 1,400 jobs in related technology sectors, as well as in construction, not only for the municipality of Calatorao, in which it is located, but also for surrounding cities.

Goal: to become the Virginia of Europe.. Jorge Azcon did not hesitate to compare Aragon to Virginia, the US state with the world’s largest data center capacity. According to Azcon, the Aragon territory has the ideal conditions to attract this type of investment: large and cheap land, access to renewable energy sources and geographical location. Second Vice President and Minister of Economy, Employment and Industry Mar Vaquero called the implementation of the Blackstone project an important milestone for the area that will guarantee the future of its residents.

“Aragon is a land full of milestones. This year is historic and it is an undeniable truth: Aragon is becoming a technological and reference center in Europe and we should be proud not only of the investments we receive in the technology sector. The investments announced today will continue to contribute to the transformation of the economy of Aragon, influencing all economic sectors that are already important and characterize the leadership of our Autonomous Community. This will help attract new companies, create jobs and facilitate digital transformation. “, said the head of the economic department of the Aragonese government in her speech.

Blackstone’s first data center in Spain. The Rodes project in Calatorao will be the first data center in Spain for the American company Blackstone, which already has more than 30 data centers in the United States and three in Europe.

With this project, the company is backing up the statements of James Seppala, head of the European real estate department at Blackstone, which were reported in the economic newspaper. Five days speaking at the real estate event The District in Barcelona. “We like to continue to support Spain with investments. Spain is an important part of some of our pan-European sectors,” Seppala said.

In Hatak | Meta is completing procedures for the construction of a macro technology center in Spain. Your location: Talavera de la Reina

Image | Government of Aragon, Unsplash (Massimo Botturi)