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As data centers face increasing political and public scrutiny, the industry in Ohio has built up a lobbying and PR apparatus to punch back.
At the statehouse, the Data Center Coalition, a trade association, and its individual members have hired a fleet at least 51 lobbyists, according to a review of state lobbying disclosures. The bulk of them work for either Google (19 registered agents) or Meta (14).
Some lesser-known developers like QTS, CyrusOne and Vantage have hired their own lobbyists as well.
Meanwhile, the national arm of the Data Center Coalition created a nonprofit, Connected Ohio, which has spent more than $10,000 on Facebook ads since May 23, according to records with Facebook’s ad archive.
“Healthcare. Education. Public safety. Ohio’s data centers make it all possible — supporting 84,000 jobs and thousands of high-wage construction roles, while generating billions in tax revenue for local services,” the ads state.
Connected Ohio is made up of industry stakeholders working “to educate and engage with Ohioans on the benefits data centers provide statewide and local communities,” said Josh Levi, the Washington D.C. area-based president of the Data Center Coalition, in a statement.
He said its goal is education, and it does not endorse candidates for public office or participate in political campaigns.
“The Data Center Coalition launched Connected Ohio this year to help inform communities and policymakers about the data center industry, what it does, the larger ecosystem of small businesses, service providers, supply chain, and jobs that support the industry, and why it matters to Ohioans,” Levi said.
The ad spending comes as tax breaks for the industry have drawn political scrutiny and citizen opposition to the facilities’ rapid buildout in Ohio has mounted.
After the Ohio Department of Taxation released new data that shows a sales tax exemption for data centers cost the state $1.6 billion in revenue in 2025, 11 times more than was forecasted, Gov. Mike DeWine announced a temporary, limited pause on the issuance of new credits. This will last until the General Assembly’s newly formed “Select Committee on Data Centers” issues a report or proposed legislation when it wraps up.
In Columbus, a long list of lobbying firms have registered on the data center industry’s behalf. The Data Center Coalition hired three attorneys with Dickinson Wright, a Columbus law firm.
At least 19 different law firms and lobby shops registered on behalf of the builders of data centers, the arena sized warehouses facilitating the artificial intelligence boom.
Some have hired politically connected figures. For Amazon that includes Michael Hall, DeWine’s former chief of staff, now a lobbyist for the CJR Group. For Google, that includes Spencer Gross, of High Bridge Consulting, whose website notes its former partner is now chief of staff to House Speaker Matt Huffman. And Aligned Data Centers hired Brenton Temple, campaign manager for DeWine’s 2022 re-election campaign.
There’s nothing illegal or unusual about any of this. Rather, it reflects data centers adopting a tried and true political playbook executed by seasoned statehouse professionals.
It also follows some of the industry’s towering investments in Ohio. Google says it has invested more than $20 billion in data centers here. Amazon expects its investments here to reach $23 billion by 2030. Cologix, which was awarded a new break on Monday, has pledged more than $7 billion.
Signal Ohio is a nonprofit news organization covering government, education, health, economy and public safety.
