Papillion, Sarpy County, Nebraska
Papillion / Sarpy County — Nebraska
Last updated: 2026-03-29
Thesis
Sarpy County explicitly lists data centers in its zoning code. OPPD ranked #2 nationally for DC power share. No organized opposition. Meta has expanded 5 times since 2016.
Four-Dimension Breakdown
How this market scores
Data centers explicitly listed in Sarpy County IL (Light Industrial) district Section 22. Eight+ data centers approved and operating. Papillion GI district accommodates industrial uses.
OPPD is among most DC-ready utilities. S&P ranked Omaha #2 after Northern Virginia. Board approved 2.5 GW new generation (August 2023) with $5B capital plan. Data centers consumed 21% of OPPD electricity sales in 2024.
No organized opposition. One property owner raised concerns during Meta approval. Omaha World-Herald: "neighbors have only positive things to say."
Meta went from announcement (April 2016) to operational (2019) — roughly 3 years. Google obtained building permit for 281,792 SF facility on 260 acres.
Evidence
Key findings
Sarpy County Section 22 explicitly lists "Data Centers" as a use category in the IL district.
Sarpy County Zoning RegulationsData centers consumed 21% of OPPD electricity sales in 2024, up from 1% in 2018. OPPD approved 2.5 GW of new generation.
WOWTMeta campus expanded to 3.6M+ SF across 8+ buildings with multiple expansion phases since 2016.
Meta Data Centers blogIncentives
Available programs
ImagiNE Nebraska Act (2020) — sales tax exemptions on servers and equipment
Investment and wage tax credits. A $1B DC investment can claim $12.4M in tax incentives.
SourceGoogle $4.7B total Nebraska investment since 2019
Across Papillion, Omaha, and Lincoln. Over 79,000 Nebraskans trained in digital skills.
SourceKnown Risks
No market is risk-free. Here's what to watch.
The credibility of a favorable score depends on honest risk disclosure. These risks are documented in public records.
Sarpy County Board opposed state tax incentive bill LB209 — loses $5.8M in property tax annually
Data center demand may outpace OPPD generation additions by 2035
Recommendation
Favorable market. Explicit zoning code listing, OPPD's massive generation pipeline, and no organized opposition.
Sources
Cited references
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