MONROE, Louisiana (April 4, 2025) – Northeast Louisiana is experiencing unprecedented global attention following the Meta announcement of a $10 billion investment to construct an artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Richland Parish. This monumental project is already transforming the region’s economic landscape and will create over 500 direct jobs and bring approximately 6,000 construction workers at its peak.
Since the December 4, 2024 announcement, Northeast Louisiana has been recognized for its ideal business climate by some of the most recognized leaders and news outlets around the world. Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has mentioned the Richland Parish data center in multiple posts on various platforms. Within the last week, Northeast Louisiana was featured in the Sunday edition of the Wall Street Journal, detailing the significant impact the $10 billion investment is having in the region.
Construction on the Richland Parish data center began immediately following the announcement, and there were more than 600 workers already on site at the end of March 2025.
Mark Zuckerberg Highlights Louisiana Data Center
Meta’s CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, has repeatedly spotlighted the Richland Parish data center through his social media platforms, amplifying its significance:
- Instagram Reel (December 6, 2024): Zuckerberg shared a reel showcasing the Louisiana data center, which garnered over 9 million views. With more than 15.7 million followers on Instagram, this post significantly elevated the project’s visibility.
- Facebook Post (January 24, 2025): Zuckerberg posted a comparative image illustrating the vast scale of the new data center in relation to the size of Manhattan. This post achieved over 50 million impressions, including more than 340,000 likes, 99,000 comments, and 20,000 shares, underscoring the project’s global impact.
According to High Tide Rise, a Louisiana-based marketing firm, the Zuckerberg posts have an equivalent paid media value of over $2.5 million.
National Media Recognizes the Region’s Transformation
The Wall Street Journal, in its March 30, 2025 article titled “The AI Data-Center Boom Is Coming to America’s Heartland,” highlighted Richland Parish as a focal point of technological advancement. The article detailed Meta’s investment and its potential to revitalize the local economy by creating 500 permanent tech jobs and stimulating housing and construction activities. It also addressed considerations regarding sustainability and energy demands associated with the data center.
Economic and Community Impact
The establishment of Meta’s data center is poised to have a transformative effect on Northeast Louisiana:
- Job Creation: The project is expected to generate over 500 direct jobs with competitive salaries and more than 1,000 indirect jobs, fostering economic growth throughout the region.
- Infrastructure Investments: Meta has committed over $200 million to local infrastructure improvements, including enhancements to roads and water systems, benefiting the broader community.
- Sustainable Energy Initiatives: In collaboration with Entergy Louisiana, Meta plans to match its electricity consumption with 100% clean and renewable energy, contributing to the state’s environmental goals.
Statements from Key Leaders
“Meta’s investment establishes the region as an anchor in Louisiana’s rapidly expanding tech sector, revitalizes one of our state’s beautiful rural areas, and creates opportunities for Louisiana workers to fill high-paying jobs of the future,” said Louisiana Governor, Jeff Landry.
“This project is an example of what Louisiana can accomplish when economic development partners play offense rather than waiting for good projects to come to them,” “Louisiana has been actively positioning itself as a hub for AI innovation, with plans to support startups, grow a skilled workforce, and shape forward-thinking policy. Meta’s historic investment is just the beginning of a bold strategy to drive economic growth through AI, expand and diversify the state’s tech sector, and prove to the world that when Louisiana says that we are ready to compete on the global stage, we mean business,” said Louisiana Economic Development Secretary, Susan Bourgeois.
“This project will create a transformational change for the residents of the entire Northeast Region. Meta chose northeast Louisiana because of the availability of reliable, low-cost energy; access to flat, developable land; and a business-friendly environment led by Governor Landry. This project opens the floodgates for data center development in Louisiana, and we are prepared for what’s ahead,” said Grow NELA President & CEO, Rob Cleveland.
About Grow NELA
Grow NELA is the regional economic development authority representing a 10-parish region in Northeast Louisiana. Grow NELA is a non-profit, investor-governed, economic development organization that accelerates regional opportunities that create new and better jobs, expands the tax base, and generates more wealth for nearly 300,000 people throughout Northeast Louisiana. Grow NELA provides economic development leadership in the parishes of: Caldwell, East Carroll, Franklin, Madison, Morehouse, Ouachita, Richland, Tensas, Union and West Carroll. For more information, visit www.GrowNELA.com.