Every time I drive on U.S. 62 between Johnstown and New Albany, I get a knot in my stomach.
Anyone else?
It wasn’t always this way. I’ve traveled that stretch of road a million times over the last four years, going to and from Columbus. It’s a fairly quiet, benign corridor – the two-lane highway cutting through wide swaths of farmland and small-scale commercial properties.
But ever since February, I’ve noticed it makes me nervous. And I think I know why.
That’s the area where Intel, the world’s largest semiconductor chip manufacturer, has said it will build its next facility. And not just any facility – a two-factory, $20 billion campus that could eventually grow to eight factories and $100 billion over the next decade, pending various factors.
It will be the largest private commercial development in Ohio’s history – far outpacing Honda (which has reportedly invested at least $11 billion in Ohio since coming to Marysville in 1982) and Facebook (which has reportedly invested at least $1 billion in Ohio since coming to New Albany in 2017).
It could become the world’s largest semiconductor operation. And it will be located 12 miles from Centerburg and 21 miles from Mount Vernon.
When I say it makes me nervous, I don’t mean that in a negative way.
I mean it in an uncertain way.
It’s the kind of nervousness you feel when a storm’s coming. It’s also the kind of nervousness you feel before a big performance, or a test, or a first date. It’s somewhere in between – the byproduct of immense anticipation, knowing full well what’s at stake.
And I know I’m not alone. It’s hard to live in Knox County these days without thinking about it. It comes up in conversations everywhere – in the grocery store, at work, on the baseball diamond.
What does this mean for Knox County? And what are we doing to prepare for it?
We took our first crack at answering the first question in January, days after the news broke. We spoke with more than a dozen local officials to try to get a sense of how this might impact Knox County long-term.
This week, we took our first crack at answering the second question. KP reporter Emma Davis and I spoke with local leaders to figure out how they’re planning to prepare Knox County for this moment, and what the public should expect moving forward.
Here’s what we discovered:
From Friday: ‘We’ve gotta control our own destiny’: How the ADF is planning to prepare Knox County for Intel | Thursday marked three months since Intel officially announced it would build in central Ohio. Here’s what local officials have done in the time since – and how they’re planning to prepare Knox County for the company’s arrival.
From Saturday: Knox County schools apply for Intel funding, ponder future impact | Intel’s decision to build in Licking County provides a unique opportunity for Knox County’s educational institutions. Here’s how local K-12 districts, colleges and universities are planning to seize it.
From Sunday: Intel trip affords a quick peek at how company operates in Arizona | A small group of local education representatives has already visited one of Intel’s campuses out west. COTC president John Berry spoke with us about his initial impressions.
No story, or series of stories, will cure the anxiety that comes with this moment for Knox County. There’s still so much we don’t know, and so much we won’t know until the company moves in and actually begins production – which won’t take place until 2025.
I anticipate feeling that same knot in my stomach for years to come.
But I do believe information helps. The more this community knows about how Intel’s decision to build nearby might impact us – and what Knox County is doing to prepare for this moment – the better.
Information allows for transparency, accountability, and a deeper understanding of the world around us. It also fosters engagement and a sense of unity – a shared understanding, if you will – that can help us chart the path forward.
Here at Knox Pages, we won’t pretend to have all the answers – heck, we probably never will – but we will work our butts off to get you, the residents of Knox County, as much information as possible. I can guarantee you that.
If you’d like us to continue reporting on Intel and its impact on Knox County, the best way you can support us is by becoming a Knox Pages Member today. Every penny goes toward newsroom efforts – the interviews, the writing, the editing. You can power our work – and, in turn, help make your community a more informed and connected place – by becoming a member today.
Thank you to everyone who has supported our journalism so far. You are making this reporting possible.
In the weeks ahead, we’ll continue to report on local planning efforts and what residents can expect moving forward. In the meantime: What questions do you have about Intel’s decision to build in Licking County, and what it means for us here in Knox County? What’s on your mind?
Let us know. We’re here to help.
This column first appeared in Grant’s Sunday email newsletter, Knox Weekly. To sign up for the free newsletter – and to receive automated newsletters the other six days of the week, containing our top stories from the day prior – click here.
