WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – State and local officials announced that Microsoft will begin construction on a new data center in West Des Moines, increasing the company’s investment in Iowa to nearly $2 billion and becoming the largest investment in the state to date.

Gov. Terry Branstad joined with local officials Friday to announce Microsoft’s investment in so-called “Project Alluvion,” which is expected to total more than $1.1 billion. A data center completed in 2010 resulted in about a $900 million investment from the company.

Branstad says Iowa’s central location makes it an attractive location for Microsoft and other companies that have recently opened data centers.  Google opened a data center in Council Bluffs in 2009, and Facebook is building a data center in Altoona that should open early next year.