Governor Nathan Deal announced today that Facebook will be building a 1 million square foot data center in Newton County. The $750 million investment will net at least 100 new jobs over the next five years according to a press release issued by the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
There is much buzz about Atlanta being in the running to be the host to a second headquarters for both Amazon and Apple, but the Facebook investment shows that Georgia is on the right track for fostering an environment that welcomes business. From the press release:
“Georgia’s business-friendly climate and world-class technological infrastructure continue to attract innovative companies like Facebook,” said Deal. “It is fitting that the No. 1 company in the world in terms of active users has chosen the No. 1 state for business for this project. We appreciate Facebook’s leadership for recognizing Georgia as a state that serves not only as a major hub for general business, but also as a place where tech firms can be successful in the future. This project represents a significant investment and will create meaningful opportunities for the surrounding community. We welcome Facebook to Georgia and look forward to the growth of this partnership.”
The Newton Data Center will be part of the highly advanced infrastructure that helps Facebook provide apps and services to more than 2 billion people around the world. The new facility will be Facebook’s ninth data center in the U.S.
“As a company, Facebook is committed to creating positive impact at the local level – that means hiring, partnering and investing locally,” said Rachel Peterson, VP of Data Center Strategy at Facebook. “We are thrilled to be making Georgia our new home and look forward to a long and strong partnership with the state, Newton County, and our new community.”
The two buildings will be fully operational in 2020.