'Report:  Nebraska lawmakers pursue major data center'

(Omaha World-Herald) -- Omaha.com reports Nebraska could be a candidate to land "a projected $1.2 billion data center that could grow even larger."  The project, which "is looking at breaking ground in May with an initial investment of $500 million," would be "nearly three times larger than the $140 million, 175-job Yahoo data center lured to La Vista in 2009," the article notes.  "Kearney is rumored to be the leading location for the business, though North Platte and a handful of other outstate cities that have developed shovel-ready 'power parks' for data centers have also gotten a look."  The World-Herald reports two bills have been introduced "to lure the data center" -- LB1118, "which would extend the Nebraska Advantage Act to data centers that cost at least $300 million and create 30 jobs," and LB1043, "which would allow public power districts in Nebraska to use their excess electrical supplies to negotiate cheaper electrical rates for data centers or other new or expanded projects." In a related Omaha.com story, Ron Sedlacek of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry is quoted as saying that "there's a boom in data center construction," with "1,000 new data centers expected to be built in the next decade around the world."