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Facebook announced a $750 million data center in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2018. That figure describes the original project—not the expanded campus’s current reported investment. Meta now reports more than $1.5 billion invested in Huntsville, following later campus expansions.

What was announced in 2018?

On June 14, 2018, Facebook announced plans to build a data center in North Huntsville Industrial Park. The company’s original announced investment was $750 million, and Alabama’s announcement said the project would create 100 jobs. The state also estimated that Facebook would receive an $86.25 million Alabama Jobs Act investment credit over 10 years. These are figures from the state’s announcement, not an independent accounting of final spending or tax benefits. Office of Alabama Governor Kay Ivey, June 14, 2018.

Site and land purchase

The City of Huntsville said the planned site covered 340 acres in North Huntsville Industrial Park. The city approved the sale of the acreage to Facebook project entity Starbelt LLC for $8.5 million. City of Huntsville, June 14, 2018.

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Jobs and stated pay

The state announcement described approximately 100 operational jobs and an average annual salary of $80,000. Those figures belong to the original 2018 plan; they should not be treated as a current count of employees or vacancies.

How did the project grow beyond $750 million?

The 2018 amount was the initial announced investment. Facebook later expanded the campus. In 2022, Meta announced two additional buildings, which it said would bring the campus to nearly 3.5 million square feet and the investment in Huntsville to more than $1.5 billion. Meta anticipated more than 300 operational jobs after the expansion was complete. These are company-reported plans and figures; they are not an independent audit of completed construction, spending, or employment. Meta, October 2022.

Meta’s current Huntsville location profile continues to list more than $1.5 billion invested and 300-plus operational jobs supported once completed. The difference between the original $750 million and today’s reported total reflects the expanded campus, not a correction to the original announcement. Meta’s Huntsville location profile.

How many jobs does the Huntsville data center support?

The counts refer to different stages and types of work, so they should not be added together or used interchangeably.

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Figure What it describes Source and qualification
Approximately 100 jobs Operational jobs in the original project plan Alabama’s 2018 announcement; average annual salary stated as $80,000
50 jobs Jobs associated with the 2022 expansion City of Huntsville’s 2022 description; required annual wage of $80,000, excluding benefits
More than 300 operational jobs Anticipated operational employment after the 2022 expansion Meta’s 2022 announcement; Meta’s current location profile says 300-plus jobs supported once completed
1,200 skilled trade workers at peak construction Temporary construction workforce, not permanent data-center employment Meta’s current Huntsville location profile

The public figures describe announcements and company or city reporting. They do not establish how many people are employed at the facility today, nor do they show current openings. For vacancies, check Meta’s live careers listings rather than relying on project-announcement job counts.

What local infrastructure and community benefits were reported?

Roads and sewer work

The City of Huntsville described road infrastructure improvements connected with the expansion and reported a $2.8 million sewer extension, of which the company funded $2.5 million. The city estimated an $8.1 million return to the city and school system. That return is the city’s estimate; the reviewed public materials do not provide an independent evaluation of the realized fiscal impact. City of Huntsville, 2022.

Schools and STEM programs

Meta announced two grants totaling $300,000 for local schools and STEM education in 2022. Its current Huntsville fact sheet says the company has provided more than $3.9 million in direct funding to Madison County-area schools and nonprofits since 2019. The latter is a Meta-reported cumulative figure; the cited company materials do not include an independent accounting. Meta’s Huntsville location profile.

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What has Meta said about renewable energy?

Meta says it supported 227 megawatts of new renewable energy in Alabama and that its electricity use is matched with 100% clean and renewable energy. These are company-reported claims. Matching electricity use with renewable energy does not mean that every hour’s physical power delivered to the facility comes from a renewable source, and the cited materials do not establish the data center’s facility-level energy use. Meta’s Huntsville location profile.

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Quick Recap

What the public figures do—and do not—show

  • Investment: $750 million was Facebook’s original 2018 announced investment. Meta’s current reported figure for the expanded Huntsville campus is more than $1.5 billion.
  • Employment: Announced operational-job figures are distinct from temporary construction labor; neither category is a current vacancy count.
  • Local returns: Infrastructure spending, grants, and fiscal-return estimates are reported by the city or Meta. The cited materials do not independently audit the overall local economic impact.
  • Energy: Meta’s renewable-energy matching statements describe its reported energy strategy, not a claim that the facility runs on renewable power at every moment.

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