Groundbreaking for $10B Meta data center campus at LEAP District

Indiana  Governor Mike Braun joined executives of Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) as the company broke ground on a more than $10 billion state-of-the-art data center campus at the LEAP Innovation and Research District in Lebanon.

Reports have stated the new campus will support approximately 300 high-wage operational jobs once complete and is expected to support more than 4,000 construction jobs at peak. 

"Indiana has the business-first environment and the central location needed to support the global infrastructure of tomorrow’s economy,” said Gov. Braun. “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.”

Meta, which owns technologies like Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, will invest over $10 billion over several phases to construct and outfit a 1,500-acre data center campus set to feature 13 total buildings, including 10 data center buildings as well as facilities to support logistics and warehousing, network and administrative support functions. 

Information on construction and job opportunities is available online.

Meta officials also unveiled community initiatives, including an annual grants program that puts technology to use for community benefit, and direct funding for programs supporting local workforce development and career exploration. The company has committed to an annual community impact payment of $1.5 million to the city of Lebanon for each completed phase of the up to six-phase project, supporting quality of life and placemaking initiatives.

The LEAP District has secured more than $23 billion in investment since 2022. The megasite is strategically designed to attract future-focused companies and accelerate global innovation across high-growth sectors, such as biotech, pharmaceuticals and advanced manufacturing, to power tomorrow’s economy.

"We are proud to welcome Meta to Lebanon’s LEAP Research and Innovation District. By choosing Lebanon, Meta is not only investing in our community but is also strengthening the critical digital infrastructure that powers the modern world,” said Lebanon Mayor Matt Gentry . “In today’s economy, data centers serve as the essential backbone for national security, innovation, and global competitiveness. These facilities are launchpads for the next generation of American innovation, securing our digital sovereignty and enabling the breakthroughs in artificial intelligence that will define our future. This partnership positions Lebanon as a key player in a vital national industry while also providing a stable, long-term tax base that allows us to invest in our city’s future while keeping the local tax burden low for our residents.”

This campus marks Meta’s second major tech infrastructure project in Indiana, joining its $800 million, 700,000-square-foot data center in Jeffersonville that is nearing completion.

Based on the company’s investment plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation committed an investment in Meta in the form of a 35-year term data center sales tax exemption for a minimum $1 billion in eligible capital invested within the first six years. For the first additional $2.2 billion and each additional $1.6 billion in eligible capital invested within the first 17 years, the company will be eligible for tax exemptions for an additional five-year period, up to a total of 50 years. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim state benefits once investments are made and jobs are created.