Boardman Area Poised for Major Tech Boom as Region Eyes Massive Data Center Expansion

In a move that could reshape the local economy and landscape, Morrow County and surrounding communities are planning for a potential explosion in data center development. Regional planners have identified approximately 9,100 acres of land, much of it in our own backyard near Boardman and along the Columbia River, as prime for future technology campuses. This ambitious vision would more than quadruple the industry’s current footprint in Oregon.

The push is driven by the region’s key advantages: affordable land, abundant water from the Columbia for cooling, and access to massive amounts of reliable, low-cost electricity, a significant portion of which is generated by renewable sources like nearby wind farms. For Boardman residents, this represents a wave of potential. “This isn’t just about servers in a building,” said a local economic development official. “It’s about high-paying construction jobs, long-term technical careers, and a major new source of property tax revenue that could benefit our schools and public services.”

However, the scale of the proposal brings serious questions to the forefront. Community meetings are expected to address concerns over the immense water usage required by data centers, the strain on the regional power grid, and the visual impact of large, industrial facilities. The planning process will force a community conversation about balancing economic opportunity with the preservation of agricultural land and natural resources that define our area.

While no specific projects are yet announced, the formal designation of these “shovel-ready” zones sends a clear signal to the tech industry. Boardman and Morrow County are officially open for business, positioning themselves to compete for the next wave of digital infrastructure that powers the modern world.