Idaho House approves Cybercore/Computer Center

The Idaho House voted 56-14 late Tuesday to approve a $90 million bond. The resolution, introduced by Idaho Falls Senator Dean Mortimer and Representative Wendy Horman, authorizes the Idaho State Board of Education to expand the Idaho National Laboratory Cybercore Integration Center and Collaborative Computing Center facilities. The facilities will house cyber-security and super-computer research activities in Idaho Falls. The bond will cover site preparation and construction of new buildings on state property near the Center for Advanced Energy Studies campus in Idaho Falls. The facilities will then be leased to the Idaho National Laboratory. Upon payoff of the bond debt, lease payments would revert directly to the State Board of Education. According to the legislature’s fiscal note, Cybercore will be approximately 80,000 square feet. The Collaborative Computer Center (C3) will be approximately 67,000 square feet. The estimated construction cost, including land acquisition costs, would be $75,000,000. INL will invest an additional $10,000.000 in improvements and technology. Lease payments are estimated at $265,000 per month for Cybercore and $245,000 for C3. No additional state dollars will be used for design, construction, financing or operation of the facilities. Groundbreaking and construction will begin this spring and take about 15 months to complete.