Another data center may soon pop up in Prineville

Legacy Ranches, a Chicago company, has bought a 1,400-acre parcel next to the Prineville Airport, part of which could become the site of yet another large data center.

Now the company is asking Crook County and city officials to annex 160 acres of that land into the city’s urban growth boundary.

The company is staying tight-lipped on what it plans on doing with the property. But rumors are spreading it could be another data center.

City Councilor Jason Carr said Tuesday these data centers have created local jobs for residents.

“There are well over 200 full-time jobs between Facebook and Apple as we speak today,” Carr said.

Facebook is the fourth-largest private employer in Crook County, Carr said.

The city planning department said it’s moved forward in approving an application similar to the Facebook and Apple data centers.

“We have a land owner coming forward that would like to be designated as light industrial, and so at this point we have accepted that application and request as light industrial,” said Planning Director Phil Stenbeck.

It’s all about bringing jobs and lowering the unemployment rate, Carr said.

According to employment officials,, data center jobs represent about 2 percent of all jobs in Crook County.

Those companies bring in additional revenue for public safety and for the city’s rainy-day fund, Carr said.

Residents who have worked in the tire and timber industry for many years have gotten the training needed to work at the data centers, he said.

City and county officials should soon learn what the company will do on the land next to the airport.

The proposed urban growth boundary expansion is on the agenda for a joint city council and county commission meeting taking place Wednesday at 9 a.m. at the county meeting room on NE Court Street.