Report: Phoenix Brokers Hope To Land Microsoft Data Center

Microsoft Corporation MSFT could be on the verge of opening a data center in Phoenix, according to the area's local news media.

Phoenix real estate brokers, salivating at the prospect of doing a deal said to total 575,000 square feet, told the Phoenix Daily Business Journal that maybe Microsoft might move to town.

The brokers, who weren't identified, echoed Arizona state legislator Jeff Dial, who told the newspaper that Microsoft had been seeking alterations to state rules that afford tax breaks for data centers.

Microsoft has been building and managing data centers since the late 1990s and currently operates them at more than 100 locations worldwide.

The company owns about 5 million square feet of commercial space and leases an additional 12 million around the world.

A Microsoft representative contacted by the newspaper declined to comment on Phoenix but said the company is "continuously exploring" potential locations.