CHEYENNE — Meta Platforms Inc. (Nasdaq: META) will build a $800 million data center in Cheyenne that is expected to bring nearly 1,100 jobs to the area, primarily during the facility's construction period.
The 715,000-square-foot data center will be built on 960 acres in the High Plains Business Park and is expected to be operational in 2027. It will be Meta's 25th data center and will house the infrastructure that powers Meta's technologies, including Facebook, Messenger, Instagram, WhatsApp and Threads, according to a news release.
“We're excited to call Cheyenne our new home and are committed to playing an active role here and investing in the long-term revitalization of the community,” Meta's director of data center community and economic development Brad Davis said in the release. “Wyoming stood out as the perfect location for our newest data center because of its great infrastructure and energy access, deep talent pool and great community partners. We're grateful to all of our partners who helped us get here.”
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Cheyenne has been home to data centers for more than 12 years: Microsoft opened its first center there in 2012 and has announced plans to open two more by 2021. Another attraction for Wyoming is a set of incentives for data centers that Colorado doesn't offer to such companies.
While the project would be a boon for Cheyenne, which is considered part of the Northern Colorado commuter belt, these high-tech jobs could be attractive enough to draw more applicants from Northern Colorado, and they could also provide job creation opportunities for construction contractors looking to staff larger projects.
“Construction jobs are booming and there is no shortage of demand for construction jobs,” Upstate Colorado Economic Development CEO Rich Warner said in response to the news.
The centre is expected to employ around 100 staff when completed.
Cheyenne Reed, the economic development organization for Cheyenne and Laramie County, began supporting Meta in 2019. “We've worked with Meta for more than five years and are excited to officially add Meta to Cheyenne and the state of Wyoming,” Cheyenne Reed CEO Betsy Hale said in the release. “Meta will provide quality jobs, great benefits and be a contributing member of the community.”
“This is a win for Wyoming and will certainly strengthen our local economy,” Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon said in a news release. “This announcement is a testament to our business-friendly environment and commitment to innovation and fostering a resilient workforce. We thank Meta for their investment and partnership.”
