CLEVELAND — It’s a $20 billion dollar plan to build one of the largest semiconductor chip plants in the world, bringing with it 20,000 jobs
It's all coming to acres of farmland outside Columbus, made official Friday when Gov. Mike DeWine announced Intel will build two new production facilities in Licking County. It's the largest single investment in Ohio history, but was the Greater Cleveland area in the running for the project?
"I am not at liberty to speak to any of the specifics about the project itself and the opportunities that we may or may not have had," says CEO Bill Koehler of Team NEO, a business development organization focused on 18 counties in Northeast Ohio. "What I will say is this: A semiconductor plant of this size requires a really good site location with many aspects of readiness, access to water, access to utility infrastructure, and all those kinds of things."
Koehler says Northeast Ohio needs to focus on having those things and having them prepared at multiple locations for companies looking for new homes.
While Cleveland didn’t get the Intel factory, which the company says could end up as large as four football fields, there are a lot of pros for our area. The distance between Cleveland and New Albany -- where the factories are being built -- is only about 140 miles. The close proximity means companies in Greater Cleveland that use these chips or companies looking to relocate could chose Ohio to cut down on supply chain issues.
"Our opportunity here is to make sure that we support the companies that are here and want access to that and find more people who have the ability to take advantage," Koehler told 3News.
Another opportunity for Northeast Ohio comes in the form of higher education and all the colleges and universities in the area that could benefit.
"Those institutions will be viewed as a place where students want to go and attend that will look at Intel as an employer of choice," Koehler. "This is a big deal."
The massive manufacturing hub is expected to be completed by 2025.