Meta is to build a new data center campus in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
“We are excited to announce that Meta is joining the Jeffersonville community! This will be the home of our newest data center — our 18th data center in the US and 22nd in the world,” Facebook's parent company announced this week.
Jeffersonville, in Clark County, is located on the southern border of Indiana along the Ohio River. The city of Louisville, Kentucky is located on the south side of the river.
The company will be investing $800 million to develop a spanning spanning almost 700,000 sq ft (65,030 sqm). The 619-acre site, located in the River Ridge Commerce Center industrial park, will be supported by renewable energy and LEED Gold certified.
“We are thrilled to make Indiana and Jeffersonville our new home. We are committed to playing a positive role here and investing in the community's long-term vitality,” said Brad Davis, director of data center community and economic development at Meta. “Jeffersonville stood out as an outstanding location for our newest data center thanks to its great access to infrastructure, deep pool of talent, and amazing community partners. Thank you to everyone who has helped us get here.”
Meta is starting construction this month and expects the data center to be operational in 2026.
Renderings suggest Meta has dropped its previous two-building ‘H’ design – possibly as part of its AI-focused pivot. Turner has been appointed construction partner on the project and said it will use prefabricated modular assemblies and equipment during construction.
“Today is a great day for Indiana and for our southeast region as we welcome another major investment to the River Ridge Commerce Center,” Indiana state governor Eric Holcomb said. “Indiana’s efforts to cultivate industries of the future are already paying dividends for Hoosiers, attracting growth in critical sectors like data storage, semiconductors, energy and electric vehicles. We’re excited to welcome Meta to Indiana and look forward to the company’s partnership in growing Jeffersonville and the southeast Indiana region.”
The project will see more than 1,250 on-site construction staff during development, and result in 100 permanent jobs once operational.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has granted Meta a 35-year data center sales tax exemption for a minimum $800 million in eligible capital. For each additional $800 million of eligible investment made at the site within that time period, the company will be eligible for tax exemptions for an additional five-year period, up to a total term of 50 years. The city of Jeffersonville and the River Ridge Development Authority have reportedly offered additional incentives.
“On behalf of the residents of Jeffersonville, I am ecstatic to officially welcome Meta to our community,” said Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. “River Ridge has been saving this 619-acre site for a mega company, and Meta’s investment and commitment to our community are proof that this strategy is paying off. The economic activity around this new data center will support every sector of our economy, and we appreciate all those who have worked to bring Meta to Jeffersonville.”
This is the first major data center development project Meta has announced in 2024. After pausing around a dozen projects in late 2022 as part of a redesign to better accommodate AI hardware, 2023 saw Meta announce or file for new data center campuses in Minnesota and Texas, acquire hundreds of acres in Missouri, and launch a campus in Illinois.
