State of Montana Funds Bitcoin Mine to Bolster Local Jobs
https://news.bitcoin.com/state-of-montana-funds-bitcoin-mine-to-bolster-local-jobs
This week Montana’s Governor Steve Bullock announced the distribution of $1,124,030 in economic development grants that will be given to local businesses within the region. What’s interesting about the job initiative is the $416,000 of stimulus funding that will go to a bitcoin mining data center in Missoula County, called “Project Spokane.”
Officials in Montana and the state’s Governor, Steve Bullock, plan to bolster local businesses with job stimulus funding. According to the governor $1.1 million will be distributed to innovative companies that reside in particular counties across the state. One of them is Project Spokane LLC, a company that says it provides blockchain security validation services for the Bitcoin network; otherwise known as mining. Project Spokane applied for a $600,000 grant but will receive $416,000 from the Big Sky Economic Development Trust Fund (BSTF).
“Project Spokane, LLC is a data center that provides blockchain security services for the bitcoin network,” explains Montana’s government website announcement.
‘On Their Way to Becoming North America’s Largest Data Center’
According to commentary from James Grunke, the president and CEO of the Missoula Economic Partnership, in an interview with the local publication the Missoulian it is great news for the county.
“They are on their way to becoming North America’s largest data center,” Grunke tells the Missoulian about Project Spokane last March.
They are going to have 55,000 servers, and right now they only have 12,000. It’s pretty exciting.
Project Spokane also says that it will create 65 new jobs for residents and the data center will be located at the old Bonner mill site. Funds will be used to purchase more equipment, and software for the company’s Bitcoin network services. Project Spokane has a few job listings posted on sites like Linkedin and Community Spiceworks, looking for service providers.
https://news.bitcoin.com/state-of-montana-funds-bitcoin-mine-to-bolster-local-jobs
