ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — After months of speculation about a newly proposed data center that will house Meta - the parent company of Facebook and Instagram - in Rosemount, Gov. Tim Walz announced Thursday that the construction project will soon be underway.
According to the governor's office, the social media giant will plant its projected 715,000-square-foot facility on 280 acres of land at the city's former UMore Park. The building is expected to cost $800 million and provide hundreds of new jobs in the region, in addition to millions in tax revenue.
“Minnesota is excited to welcome Meta to Rosemount – a win for our state that will bring dozens of jobs and invigorate the local economy,” said Governor Walz in a news release Thursday. “Today’s announcement is a testament to our commitment to making Minnesota a top state for business, innovation, and investment in our workforce.”
The release also said the data center will run on 100% renewable energy, and that Meta will work with partners to add more renewable sources to the region's energy grid.
“This facility is part of the cutting-edge industries we’re creating in the Greater MSP region that will power the AI tools we need for problem-solving in med tech, regenerative agriculture, sustainable aviation fuel and others," said Peter Frosch, president and CEO of GREATER MSP, in a statement. "With this and other soon-to-be-announced investments, we are on the path to recapturing Minnesota’s national leadership in advanced technology.”
Records show Meta purchased the land for nearly $40 million in 2023 from the University of Minnesota, which acquired it from the federal government in 1947. The governor's office said the future Rosemount campus will be Meta's 19th data center in the U.S. and its 23rd across the globe.
“Meta’s decision to invest in Rosemount illustrates the story we’re sharing with businesses everywhere: we have world-class infrastructure, a tech-savvy workforce and an innovative and creative spirit that makes Minnesota the perfect place to do business,” said Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) Commissioner Matt Varilek. “We are excited to welcome Meta to Minnesota, and to continue encouraging companies everywhere to join us here.”
The corporate entity, encompassing Facebook, Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp and Threads, plans to open the new facility sometime in 2026.
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