Microsoft advances plan for new $400M Loudoun data center

Microsoft Corp. is getting ready to build a new $400 million data center on 67 acres it owns in Loudoun County’s Arcola Business Park, according to public records and the county’s economic development agency. Once built, the Redmond, Washington-based company’s new data center — known as IAD11, per county records — will span 500,000 square feet and create 80 jobs, according to Loudoun Economic Development Department documents and confirmed by executive director Buddy Rizer. Read More...

Reuters

California, others ask court to temporarily stop $4 billion Albertsons dividend payment

The attorneys general of California, Illinois and Washington D.C. asked a federal court on Thursday for a preliminary injunction that would prevent Albertsons Companies Inc, which is being purchased by rival Kroger Co, from paying a $4 billion dividend to shareholders. The state officials said in a court filing that Kroger, which does not yet own its rival, agreed with Albertsons that Albertsons would pay the dividend at the beginning of the merger review. “Payment of the special dividend, in conjunction with the restrictions defendants’ merger agreement imposes on Albertsons’ ability to borrow money, likely will hamper Albertsons’ ability to compete with Kroger and other grocers, leaving shoppers facing higher prices, worse service, less innovation, closure of their local Safeway or other Albertsons supermarket, or all of the above,” they said in the filing.