Breakfast Forum: Data Centers and the Growth Debate

Description

Every AI prompt, cloud backup, and streamed video depends on physical infrastructure. As businesses and individuals embrace new digital tools, demand for data centers is growing, bringing opportunities for investment, jobs, and economic growth alongside questions about energy, water, land, and community impacts.

We want the technology. But how should Oregon accommodate the growth needed to support it, and on what terms?

Join the Portland Metro Chamber for a candid conversation about this tension and what it means for Oregon’s economic future. Industry experts and community leaders will explore why companies invest here, what fuels public opposition, and how data center development fits into the state’s broader growth strategy.

From jobs and tax incentives to electricity bills and resource demands, the discussion will examine who benefits, who pays, and how Oregon can turn digital growth into lasting public value.