July 14, 2026

Meta Building Nation’s Largest AI Data Center in Louisiana

By J. Thomas Wade
Blue RAM Media/Gulf Coast News

July 14, 2026

RICHLAND PARISH, La. A massive AI data center under construction in rural Louisiana is now slated to get bigger and costlier even before the project is completed.

The massive Hyperion data center with a big assist from the state’s government is going to be bigger and will become home to Meta’s largest data center and will be a 5 GW facility and cost more than $50 billion.
That’s higher than the $27 billion figure that was revealed in October, when Meta and Blue Owl Capital formed a joint venture to help with the build-out and management of the facility, originally planned as a 2 GW data center.

Surprisingly, very few people in the state have challenged it.

In fact, many state leaders are on board with it and have contributed tax dollars to make the project happen.

The company said in a blog post Monday that the site in Richland Parish, Louisiana, which is now home to what will be Meta’s largest data center ever.

As Meta pursues its multi-hundred-billion-dollar artificial intelligence build-out, the company and hyperscaler rivals Microsoft, , Alphabet and Amazon as the company continues taking advantage of tax rebates and energy deals being offered by states that are fighting to get a piece of the AI boom.

In late 2024, Louisiana Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed into law a 20-year sales tax exemption for data centers built before 2029 as part of an effort to court Meta in the state, CNBC previously reported. Landry is set to host a press event on Monday in Baton Rouge.

Last year, Landry touted to several media outlets that he was a “business guy” and keeping our citizens working is vital.

“What we know is when you look at the overall comprehensive package here, it’s in the black. For local government, and the state, and how you get to the bottom line is irrespective to me,” the Governor stated.

Meta is expanding the project as it seeks to build out enough AI infrastructure to meet demand. The announcement comes after Meta had its best week on the stock market since early 2024 following the release of two major artificial intelligence models under the leadership of AI chief Alexandr Wang, head of Meta Superintelligence Labs. Investors have been looking for the company to start showing returns on its outsized AI investments.

An online post by Meta stated that the company “pays the full costs of the energy, water, and related infrastructure the data center uses so consumers aren’t paying the cost.” Since construction of the Louisiana data center began in December 2024, local businesses have received more than $1.6 billion in contracts from Meta, the company said.

“With this expansion, we will be investing over $1 billion in local infrastructure improvements, including roads, water and wastewater systems,” Meta said in the post. The company didn’t announce a financial partner for the expansion.

A Meta spokesperson stated that the Hyperion project should reach 2 GW by 2030, but there’s no timeline for when the full 5 GW project will be completed.

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