LEBANON — Indiana Governor Mike Braun joined Meta executives Wednesday as the company broke ground on a more than $10 billion data center campus at the LEAP Innovation and Research District in Lebanon.
The social media giant, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, will invest over $10 billion across several phases to construct a 1,500-acre campus featuring 13 total buildings, including 10 data center buildings and facilities for logistics, warehousing, network and administrative support.
The project is expected to create approximately 300 high-wage operational jobs once complete and support more than 4,000 construction jobs at peak. Meta has also committed to an annual community impact payment of $1.5 million to Lebanon for each completed phase of the up to six-phase project.
"Indiana has the business-first environment and the central location needed to support the global infrastructure of tomorrow's economy," Braun said. "Meta's significant investment in Indiana is a testament to our workforce and to our communities that will power its growth and its future here in Lebanon."
The data center campus will serve as part of Meta's global infrastructure for artificial intelligence and next-generation technology. Rachel Peterson, vice president of data centers at Meta, called it "one of our largest investments to date" and said it "marks an important milestone in our AI ambitions."
This marks Meta's second major infrastructure project in Indiana, joining its $800 million data center in Jeffersonville that is nearing completion.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation has committed a 35-year data center sales tax exemption for a minimum $1 billion in eligible capital invested within the first six years. The company could receive additional five-year exemptions for further investments, up to a total of 50 years. The incentives are performance-based, requiring investments to be made and jobs created before benefits can be claimed.
The LEAP District has secured more than $23 billion in investment since 2022 and is designed to attract companies in biotech, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing.
Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry said the partnership positions the city "as a key player in a vital national industry while also providing a stable, long-term tax base."
Meta has committed to annual grants for community programs and workforce development initiatives as part of the project.
