By Joyce Kryszak
Lockport, NY – A loud yahoo rang out from the crowd as Yahoo company officials broke ground in Lockport Wednesday for their new East Coast data center.
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It has been just four month since Yahoo announced Lockport was in the running for the hi-tech center. Company officials say it is their fastest expansion yet. The first building will be ready by spring. David Dibble is vice president of operations for Yahoo. He said at least 75 new jobs are on the way.
The company's agreement with the state calls for an additional 50 jobs to be added in Lockport or statewide. He said nearly all the Lockport hires will be people from the area. And he said Yahoo is likely to attract other businesses to Lockport and the region too. Dibble said they have seen it happen in other areas where they've located.
The New York State Power Authority provided much of the incentive that lured Yahoo to Lockport. The company will get 15 megawatts of low-cost power to help operate the hi-tech facility. New York Power Authority Trustee Elise Cusack said the Yahoo deal signals the authority's committment to the region.
Yahoo officials say work done at the East Coast data center will be an integral part of their worldwide operations.