news-record.com

American Express Co. has closed a deal on two pieces of land east of Greensboro -- totaling 138 acres in and near Rock Creek Park -- for its data center, estimated to cost between $600 million and $1 billion.

The land is to the south of Interstate 85 near McConnell Road.

Meanwhile, it appears that Microsoft has decided to build a data center in Virginia. The company was reported to be considering a site in the Alamance County town of Mebane.

American Express paid about $6 million for its land, according to Guilford County tax records.

Earlier this month, the Greensboro City Council unanimously approved the annexation and zoning for a site on the north side of Interstate 85 that is expected to be used as a backup data center. The annexation will allow city water and sewer to be extended to the 145 acres. The zoning change will allow a business park to be built on agriculture land.

American Express has refused to answer questions about its plans for the data center, so it is unclear whether the land purchase means it has definitively decided to build in Guilford County.

It must now apply to Guilford County for building permits and site-plan approvals.

Meanwhile, Data Center Knowledge, an industry Web news site, reported Friday that Microsoft has chosen a site near Boydton, Va., for its $500 million project.

Virginia will give about $7 million in grants and incentives to Microsoft for the project.

Read more in Tuesday's News & Record and in our e-Edition.