In a landmark economic development move, Louisiana has secured Meta’s newest and largest AI-optimized data center, a $10 billion investment in Richland Parish. This project, which recently earned the Platinum Award from Business Facilities’ 2024 Deals of the Year, represents a transformative opportunity for the state’s economy and workforce.

Louisiana economic leaders help to make our state the silicon valley of the south. In Richland Parish, Meta, the parent company of Facebook, is building a massive data center to meet its needs for the future of artificial Intelligence. Here’s a look at what that means not just for the economy, but for Louisiana as a whole.

Northeast Louisiana is set to experience a generational economic transformation as Meta unveils plans to invest over $13 billion in a state-of-the-art data center in Richland Parish. This groundbreaking project is projected to result in 500 or more direct new jobs, more than 1,000 indirect jobs and 5,000 construction workers at peak. A project of this magnitude positions the region as a prime location for global technological investment.