Virginia’s position as the nation’s top data center hub is facing increasing pressure as Texas ramps up competition with aggressive incentives and expansion plans. Industry data shows Virginia still leads with more than 300 operating data centers, but Texas is rapidly closing the gap with hundreds more under construction and planned. Lawmakers in Virginia are now debating whether to scale back tax breaks that helped build that lead, a move that’s already delaying the state budget. Local governments across the state remain divided, with some communities pushing back while others continue approving projects for the millions in annual tax revenue they generate.
ED HISTED
Ed launched his radio career in 1975 and has spent more than five decades in the broadcasting industry. During that time, he has served in a wide range of roles including Air Personality, News Director, Sales Manager, Operations Manager, and General Manager at numerous radio stations in various markets across the country. Beyond on-air and management responsibilities, Ed has also worked extensively on the technical side of broadcasting. His background includes RF engineering and information technology, with particular experience configuring digital automation systems and remote voice-tracking platforms used by stations across the country. Ed was also among a select group of industry professionals invited by Google to its California headquarters following the company’s acquisition of Scott Studios. He was one of just 12 broadcasters nationwide chosen to participate in discussions and provide input during the design and rollout of Google’s digital broadcast automation platform. Although the majority of Ed’s career—spanning roughly four decades—was rooted in music radio, he transitioned into news and information programming in 2012. He says the move into spoken-word broadcasting was a natural evolution after decades of experience in multiple areas of the industry.