Senator Wants $20.1 Million in State Money for Becker

BECKER -- A bill has been introduced in the Minnesota Senate that would help Becker make improvements to their business park, as they try to lure Google to town. Republican Senator Andrew Mathews' bill would invest $20.1 million for infrastructure improvements.

He says he wants the upgrades to happen whether or not Google moves ahead with a proposed $600 million data center.

I'm reminding people that this is not a Google bill, this is a bill for Becker and their business park.  Becker hopes to be home to numerous new businesses and companies.

The Minnesota Department of Economic Development says the Google project would bring an initial 2,000 construction jobs to Sherburne County, and once it is completed, about 50 full-time tech jobs. If Becker is selected, it would be one of the largest private economic development projects in Minnesota in years.

The main thing that the city needs is a wastewater transmission line over to the industrial park.  The city has more than enough wastewater capacity.  They basically just need a larger pipe to get it over to their plant.

Mathews says he'd like his bill to be included in a bonding bill, but it could also be a stand-alone bill.

Becker is in competition with other locations around the country and Xcel Energy has requested a decision on the proposal by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by the end of June.

Under the proposed agreement, Xcel Energy would sell Google land for the facility and provide electric service from two new wind farms.  Xcel wants a decision on the project from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission by the end of June.