Microsoft will begin construction of their new data center in West Des Moines bringing Microsoft’s total investment in Iowa to nearly $2 billion, the largest in the state of Iowa by any private entity ever. This project is expected to cost over a billion dollars US and will create over 80 full-time jobs locally as construction will begin this year and is expected to take up to five years to complete the project. The existing data center was completed in 2010 and resulted in about a $900 million investment from Microsoft. Read the full story here.