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    External (via citation)Saturday, August 22, 2026 3 min read
    AI

    How Meta Got Everything It Wanted in a Secret Louisiana Data Center Deal

    Meta secured a $50 billion data center deal in Richland Parish, Louisiana through private negotiations with state officials that bypassed normal public legislative process. Governor Jeff Landry's administration covertly amended an unrela…

    Key takeaways
    • 01Governor Jeff Landry's administration covertly amended an unrelated fiber-optic tax rebate bill in April 2024, converting it into a data center equipment tax rebate to satisfy Meta's requirements without public disclosure.
    • 02The facility, if completed, would span roughly 6 square miles and consume seven times the energy of New Orleans.
    • 03Louisiana officials fast-tracked the deal to attract what they describe as the largest development in state history, serving an impoverished rural community.

    Meta secured a $50 billion data center deal in Richland Parish, Louisiana through private negotiations with state officials that bypassed normal public legislative process. Governor Jeff Landry's administration covertly amended an unrelated fiber-optic tax rebate bill in April 2024, converting it into a data center equipment tax rebate to satisfy Meta's requirements without public disclosure. The facility, if completed, would span roughly 6 square miles and consume seven times the energy of New Orleans. Louisiana officials fast-tracked the deal to attract what they describe as the largest development in state history, serving an impoverished rural community.

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