The dirt is still moving in New Albany, but it’s not moving quite as fast as the hype suggested it would three years ago. If you drive down State Route 161 today, you'll see the skeletons of what was promised to be the "Silicon Heartland." Massive cranes. Security fences. A lot of orange barrels. But the timeline? Well, that’s been a moving target.
Honestly, the Intel Ohio project has become a masterclass in how global economics can crash into local expectations. Back in 2022, everyone was talking about a 2025 opening. Then it was 2026. Now, as we sit here in early 2026, the reality on the ground is that those first chips likely won’t be etched in Licking County until 2030 or even 2031.
The $28 Billion Waiting Game
Intel didn't just walk into Ohio; they stormed in with a $20 billion (now $28 billion) promise. It was supposed to be the largest private-sector investment in the state's history. But building a semiconductor fab isn't like throwing up a suburban Amazon warehouse. These are some of the most complex structures humans have ever built. We’re talking about "clean rooms" where a single speck of dust can ruin a million-dollar wafer.
Why the delay?
Market dynamics shifted. Hard. While the world was screaming for chips during the pandemic, the post-pandemic reality involved "softening demand" and a massive pivot toward AI-specific hardware. Intel had to tighten its belt. In late 2024 and early 2025, the company announced significant cost-cutting measures, including layoffs.
Basically, they’re playing a long game now. They’ve completed the basement levels—a feat that required pouring 200,000 cubic yards of concrete—but they've explicitly stated they are slowing the pace to be "financially responsible." It’s a bit of a gut punch for the local contractors who were geared up for a sprint.
What’s Actually Happening in Licking County Right Now
Even with the "slowdown," the scale of work is kind of hard to wrap your head around.
📖 Related: Prices of gold today: What Most People Get Wrong About This $4,600 Spike
- Traffic and Infrastructure: ODOT has been busy. They’ve committed $90 million to road improvements. You’ve probably noticed the third lane on SR 161 from I-270 to US 62 is finally done.
- The "Superloads": Remember those? Huge pieces of equipment, some the length of a football field, crawled up from the Ohio River. They’ve delivered 37 of these "superloads" to the site already.
- The Workforce: There are still roughly 1,000 workers on-site daily. It’s not the 7,000 predicted for the peak of construction quite yet, but it's not a ghost town either.
The project is now being managed as a subsidiary under Intel’s new internal foundry model. This was a huge structural change Pat Gelsinger pushed through to make the manufacturing side of the business more transparent—basically treating their own factories like a separate business that could eventually take orders from competitors.
Money Matters: The CHIPS Act and Ohio Taxpayers
There was a lot of hand-wringing about whether the federal money would ever actually show up. In late 2024, the Department of Commerce finally locked in $7.86 billion in direct funding for Intel under the CHIPS Act, with about $1.5 billion of that specifically earmarked for the Intel Ohio One campus.
But here’s the kicker: that money is "milestone-based."
If Intel doesn't hit specific construction and production goals, the feds don't cut the check. State Senator Bernie Moreno and other local leaders have been breathing down the company's neck lately, demanding to know if Ohio taxpayers—who fronted roughly $2 billion in incentives—are being taken for a ride. Intel’s response has been a consistent "we are committed," but when the completion date jumps by five years, people naturally get twitchy.
The Human Cost: Farmland vs. Fiber Optics
You can't talk about the Ohio chip company without talking about the farmers. Licking County used to be defined by corn and silos. Now, land is selling for $40,000 an acre.
It’s a weird dichotomy. Some generational farmers cashed out and moved "down the road" to buy five times the acreage elsewhere. Others feel like they’re being erased. The local Farm Bureau has pointed out that it's impossible for a working farmer to compete with the checkbook of a multinational tech giant or the data centers (looking at you, Amazon and Microsoft) that are cropping up in Intel’s wake.
Moving Beyond the Hype
If you're looking for a job or thinking about moving to the area, don't panic, but do be patient. The "Silicon Heartland" isn't cancelled; it’s just buffering.
The next few years are going to be about infrastructure and education. Intel has already pledged $100 million toward an education pipeline, partnering with Ohio universities and community colleges to train the 3,000 permanent staff they'll eventually need. If you're a student in Ohio right now, the smart move is looking into mechatronics or semiconductor manufacturing programs. Those jobs are still coming, even if the grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony is a decade away from the original plan.
Keep an eye on the local zoning meetings in New Albany and Johnstown. That’s where the real story of the "Intel effect" is being written right now, in the mundane details of sewage lines, noise walls, and housing developments. The factory might be delayed, but the transformation of Central Ohio is already permanent.
Next Steps for Staying Informed:
Monitor the "Silicon Heartland" construction updates provided by the City of New Albany for monthly traffic shifts and utility work. If you're a business owner looking to enter the supply chain, register with the Ohio Department of Development’s procurement portal, as they are still vetting local vendors for the long-term operational phase of the project. Finally, track the Department of Commerce's quarterly CHIPS Act status reports to see if Intel is hitting those crucial "milestones" required to keep the federal funding flowing.