Standing in the cloud

QTS-Atlanta - Photo by Susanne Reynolds - November 12, 2025.

There are moments in economic development that change the way you see the future. Visiting QTS Data Centers in Atlanta and Fayetteville were among those moments.

From the moment our Blakely-Early County team arrived in Fayetteville, it was evident that this was more than a construction project— it was the development of critical infrastructure that powers the modern economy. Tower cranes stretched across the skyline and new structures continued to rise from the site. Every phase of construction represented thousands of workers, millions of dollars in investment and countless businesses supporting the effort through materials, equipment, engineering, transportation, hospitality and professional services.

Driving through the active construction site offered a glimpse into the scale of what is possible when a community is presented with a transformational investment. It also provided an opportunity to imagine what similar activity could mean for our region over the next decade and beyond.

The experience became even more remarkable once inside an operational building.

Stepping into the data halls of the facility in Atlanta was unlike entering any traditional industrial facility. Row after row of servers that process and store digital information that powers businesses, hospitals, schools, financial institutions, governments and billions of people around the world every second of every day. Standing among thousands of servers, it became very clear that I was, in many ways, standing in the “Cloud.”

The Cloud is often thought of as something abstract—a place where emails, photos, online banking, streaming services, artificial intelligence and business applications somehow exist. In reality, the Cloud lives inside facilities like these. Every digital transaction, every video conference, every online purchase, every AI query, and every piece of critical business and research data is supported by physical infrastructure housed inside secure data centers.

Standing in those data halls was a reminder that the digital economy is built on real buildings, real equipment, real workers, real opportunities for communities like ours.

For Blakely-Early County, that realization carries tremendous significance.

A project of this magnitude has the ability to begin diversifying our economy while creating opportunities across multiple generations. During construction, local contractors, suppliers, restaurants, hotels, retailers and service providers all benefit from increased economic activity.

Workforce training partnerships can prepare local residents for careers in construction, electrical systems, mechanical maintenance, information technology, security and facility operations.

Long after construction is complete, the investment will continue. Data centers require skilled employees, ongoing maintenance, utility infrastructure, professional services and partnerships with our local schools to develop the workforce of tomorrow. The number of skilled pathways represented on the active campus that can align themselves with career and technical programs within our school system was obvious. It’s also imperative to recognize that the presence of advanced digital infrastructure can attract complementary industries that require reliable power, high-speed connectivity and modern technology.

The opportunities extend well beyond a single project. They represent the possibility of building a more diversified economy while strengthening existing industries, expanding career opportunities for local residents, supporting the region’s economy through continued industrial investment and improving infrastructure that benefits businesses throughout Southwest Georgia.

Economic development is never only about constructing facilities and infrastructure buildouts. It is about creating opportunities that allow future generations to build successful careers without having to leave the communities they call home.

The visit to QTS Data Centers was not just about observing world-class data center campuses. It was about seeing what thoughtful planning, strategic partnerships and vision can achieve.

History often presents communities with defining moments. Opportunities that require leaders and citizens to look beyond the present and consider what the future might hold.

Our state offers a compelling example. When the Interstate Highway System was being planned during the 1950s and 1960s, some communities embraced the opportunity to be connected to this new transportation network, while others opposed having an interstate routed through or near their communities. At the time, many could not fully envision how dramatically the interstate system would reshape commerce, industry, tourism and population growth.

Today, the difference is evident. Communities located along Georgia’s interstate corridors have generally experienced greater industrial recruitment, expanded commercial development, stronger logistics networks and increased private investment over the decades. Meanwhile, many communities that were bypassed—or chose not to pursue interstate access—have faced greater challenges attracting large-scale investment and have worked much harder to compete in an increasingly connected economy. While an interstate alone does not guarantee prosperity, access to critical infrastructure has proven to be a powerful competitive advantage.

For the 21st century, the digital infrastructure being built today has the potential to become what the interstate system became for the 20th century.

As I stood inside the data halls at QTS and witnessed an active construction site unlike anything I had ever experienced before, it was impossible not to consider the decisions before communities like Blakely-Early County. Future generations will not judge us solely by the challenges we debated, but by the opportunities we had the vision and courage to pursue.

Economic development has always been about preparing for tomorrow. Our responsibility is to carefully evaluate opportunities, ask thoughtful questions, protect our community’s interests and make informed decisions based on facts.

Maybe one day people will look back on this moment in Early County much like we now look back on the arrival of the interstate system—not simply as a construction project, but as a transformational investment that positioned a rural community to compete in a rapidly changing world.

The choices made today will shape the opportunities available to our community’s children and grandchildren. History reminds us that communities willing to prepare for the future are often the ones best positioned to benefit from it.