Meta unveils new Illinois data center

Meta has finally launched its 2.3 million square feet DeKalb, Illinois, data center three years after construction began. According to the company, this construction took over $1 billion to complete and required 1,200 skilled workers. This site is expected to provide over 200 operational jobs in the long term.

Dekalb mayor Cohen Barnes said, “The people that are going to run this data center are going to be highly qualified, highly educated and well-paid individuals that I hope every single one of them wants to live in the city of DeKalb.”

Meta's director of data center community and economic development, Brad Davis, added, “We are currently 100 percent renewable across our global portfolio and with every new data center that gets cited online that will continue.”

In addition to the local renewable projects, Meta has partnered with Northern Illinois University to bring STEM classes to under-represented high school students, providing $290,000 dollars in grant money. In total, Meta has given $900,000 to DeKalb County schools and non-profits since 2020.