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Meta Unveils 'Largest AI Data Center Ever' in Louisiana

Meta announced Monday that it is dramatically expanding its AI data center campus in rural Louisiana, creating what the company says will be one of the largest data centers ever built.

The new artificial intelligence data center set for Richland Parish, a region in the state's northeast Delta country, marks a milestone in its broader push to build the infrastructure powering the next generation of AI.

The expansion will increase the campus to 5 gigawatts (GW) of compute capacity, representing a total investment of more than $50 billion in Louisiana.

The project, unveiled today alongside Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry in Baton Rouge, is expected to create more than 1,000 permanent jobs once operational while reshaping the economy of Richland Parish, a rural community of roughly 20,000 residents.

The announcement comes as Meta accelerates one of the technology industry's most ambitious AI infrastructure build-outs.

Under the leadership of Meta President Dina Powell, who has been overseeing the company's AI expansion strategy, the company has committed tens of billions of dollars to rapidly scale the computing capacity needed to support advanced AI models, generative AI products, and future artificial intelligence services across its platforms.

The Richland Parish campus has become a centerpiece of that strategy, illustrating how investments in AI infrastructure are extending beyond traditional technology hubs into rural America.

According to Meta, the project has already generated significant economic benefits since construction began in December 2024.

Louisiana businesses have secured more than $1.6 billion in contracts, while the company plans to invest an additional $1 billion in roads, water systems, wastewater infrastructure, and other community improvements.

Local schools have experienced some of the most visible impacts. Increased tax revenues tied to the project enabled teachers in Richland Parish to receive annual bonuses exceeding $50,000, roughly four times larger than last year's bonuses.

"Last year, our teachers received a $10,000 bonus; this year, that check was over $50,000," said Richland Parish Superintendent Sheldon Jones.

"It's life-altering for our teachers and their families, and it's transforming our schools," he added.

Meta has also provided funding to every public school in the parish through direct donations and its Data Center Community Action Grants program.

To help prepare local workers for long-term employment, Meta is donating $5 million to Louisiana Delta Community College to establish scholarships for data center workforce training.

Beginning with the graduating class of 2026, every Richland Parish high school graduate will be eligible for a full scholarship covering any data center-related trade certificate or technical course.

The economic ripple effects have also reached local entrepreneurs.

Tim and Lindsey Allen said they launched their restaurant, Holy Tacos, after Meta announced plans for the project, while coffee shop owners TJ and Kaycie Weed said their business has expanded from a single location serving about 40 customers a day to three locations, with a fourth planned this fall.

Meta said the expansion also includes a new energy agreement expected to save Entergy Louisiana customers more than $2 billion over the next two decades, in addition to approximately $650 million in savings generated under a previous agreement.

The company said it pays the full costs associated with the energy, water, and related infrastructure used by the facility, ensuring those expenses are not passed on to utility customers.

As demand for AI computing continues to surge, Meta's Louisiana investment underscores the growing scale of the infrastructure race among major technology companies while demonstrating how massive data center developments can transform local economies far beyond Silicon Valley.