Google closer to opening center in The Dalles

The Dalles city council and Wasco County officials have agreed to Google's request for a tax exemption, paving the way for the new center.

Google says the decision by the city and county was the last issue to resolve before they make the final decision to move forward with the center.

If approved, the city expects the center to create about 100 new jobs with an average salary of $60,000 per year. That's roughly double the local average salary.

Google is currently the most popular Internet search engine. Their headquarters are located in Mountain View, California, near Palo Alto.