The Washington Post reports that the residents of Maiden N.C. are unhappy with the lack of positive effect Apple’s massive new $1 billion data center has brought to the town of 3,400 residents. They say it has brought only 50 full-time jobs to the area, where the unemployment rate is in the double-digits.
Feelings about the data center run the gamut from, “Apple really doesn’t mean a thing to this town,” (Tony Parker, a local furniture maker) to the opinion of Maiden Town Manager William “Todd” Herms who says, “I think the average citizen sees it affecting life, they are a great corporate neighbor.”
An unemployed Maiden resident voiced doubt that jobs at the data center are actually available for local residents. “People from around here don’t get those jobs,” he said. “Really, furniture is the only thing I know. Those data jobs are not for us.” While the North Carolina unemployment rate hovers around 10.5 percent, the Maiden area suffers from a 13 percent jobless rate.
The two residents who have benefited from the venture are Donnie and Kathy Fulbright, who received $1.7 million form Apple for their one-acre tract. Apple made several offers for the Fulbright’s land, and finally asked them to name their own price.
On a positive note, Apple doesn’t appear to have finished their development in the the area. Permits show that Apple is exploring a solar farm to power the facility. Apple is also rumored to be examining doubling the size of the 500,000 square-foot data center.