Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb (R) announced that Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) is investing $800 million in the Hoosier State, where the tech company will build a new data center on a 619-acre site in the town of Jeffersonville (population 49,447), and create 100 new jobs.
Construction the nearly 700,000-square-foot facility in Jeffersonville will begin this month and is expected to be completed and operational in 2026.
Holcomb said: “We’re going to end up being the AI capital of the Midwest.”
The investment by Meta — which owns Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp and was co-founded by billionaire Mark Zuckerberg — was announced after Indiana’s Attorney General, Todd Rokita, joined 41 other AGs in filing a federal lawsuit against Meta in October.
According to the IndyStar, the lawsuit claims “Meta’s business model incentivizes maximizing the amount of time young people spend on their online platforms” and “purposefully” deploys features that are addicting for children and teens.
The federal suit also accuses Meta of violating the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, which prohibits companies from collecting personal data on users under 13 without parental consent.
Exciting news for #Indiana! @Meta is set to invest $800 million in our state, bringing a cutting-edge data center to Jeffersonville. This venture will create jobs for 100 #Hoosiers, marking a significant step towards a future at the forefront of technology. #NextLevelIndiana pic.twitter.com/K7Yha3ilT9
— Governor Eric Holcomb (@GovHolcomb) January 25, 2024
Note: The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed an investment in Meta in the form of a 35-year term data center sales tax exemption for a minimum $800 million in eligible capital.
