Flordia: Indian River State College in Florida plans a data center

The Indian River State College (IRSC) will construct a data center in Okeechobee County, Florida. The campus has been named Okee-One and will be on a 205-acre parcel containing the former Okeechobee "School for Boys." Okee-One will house multiple data centers, function as a learning laboratory for IRSC students, and provide employment opportunities for local graduates and residents.

The IRSC initiative has been endorsed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed the transfer of land ownership on June 21. Additionally, the Okeechobee region and the South Florida Water Management District contribute to its success. The project will necessitate the installation of servers, storage, network equipment, racks, power distribution systems, transformers, chillers, and generators, as well as a competent labor force to operate the infrastructure.

The anticipated construction timeline and IT capacity of the campus have not been disclosed. The IRSC will spend $1.5 million in the first fiscal year and $3.5 million in the second for the redevelopment of the property, according to the Summary Analysis of the land transfer measure. It also states that the bill will "reduce the Department of Management Services' annual maintenance costs, estimated at $200,000."

Prior to initiating operations, the IRSC must conduct a "culture assessment" of the land.