Meta to build $800M data center in Rosemount, Minnesota
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. — Meta, the parent company of Facebook, announced plans to build a new data center in Rosemount, Minnesota. The more than 700,000 square foot center will be located along County Road 42, just east of the Dakota County Technical College.
During an announcement Thursday, officials revealed the project had been under wraps for several years. They called the secret project "Project Bigfoot."
"They can build anywhere. And they looked everywhere. And they chose Rosemount in Dakota County in Minnesota," Gov. Tim Walz said.
Meta purchased the 280 acres from the University of Minnesota, which said it plans to use the money to fund more agricultural research.
"Thank you for welcoming us to this fantastic community, we are so proud to be here," said Brad Davis, Meta's director of data center community development.
Meta said the data center will be optimized for its AI workload, promising 1,000 construction jobs and 100 on-site positions.
"This data center will bring to Rosemount, it will contribute millions of dollars in tax revenue supporting our communities' growth," said Rosemount Mayor Jeff Weisensel.
Meta said the center will be powered 100% by renewable energy and it's working with Xcel Energy to build up the infrastructure.
During the application process, the city council heard some concerns from the public about the environmental, noise, and utility impact.
The city says they've conducted studies that found the center would not exceed the exceptable limits.
"Our council members actually reached out to some of the neighboring communities, particularly ones in Iowa that have a lot of facilities, and they had indicated that Meta has stepped forward, and they are the partner they claim to be," Weisensel said.
They hope Meta will not only be an economic driver, but a member of the community.
"We partner with schools and local organizations to provide programs and resources that help build skills and increase the use of technology," Davis said.
The University of Minnesota said the remaining acres of UMore Park could eventually house more tech industry.
"We have been working to become a hub of emerging technology and the data center puts us well on our way of reaching that goal," Weisensel said.
Site work is already underway, with construction ramping up late summer or early fall. The project is expected to be completed in two years and also include some nearby road improvements. This will be Meta's 19th data center in the U.S. and 23rd in the world.
