KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Meta, the parent company of Facebook, plans to build an $800 million data center in northern Kansas City, the company and government officials announced Thursday.
The company hopes to open the 1 million-square-foot data center in the Golden Plains Technology Park along the border of Platte and Clay counties by 2024. It is expected to support 100 jobs.
The company chose the Kansas City location for the data center because of the city's central location, which offers improved network connectivity between coastal data centers, according to a news release from Gov. Mike Parson's office. The release added that those factors and other advantages make Kansas City the third fastest-growing technology market in the nation.
“We’re proud to welcome Meta to Kansas City, Missouri, for this historic, cutting-edge development that will positively impact our state’s economy for years to come,” Parson said in the release. “The Show-Me State stands out as a rising technology hub due to our strategic location, skilled workforce, and business friendly climate. This unprecedented investment signals Missouri is open for business and that our state is a prime destination for high-tech leaders and innovators alike.”
Other advantages in Kansas City include greater security, decreased risk of natural disasters and other threats, competitive energy prices, and options for renewable energy, the statement said.
“Meta is excited to call Kansas City our new home. It stands out with so much to offer — good access to infrastructure and fiber, a strong pool of talent for both construction and operations, and more than anything, great community partners,” Darcy Nothnagle, the company’s director of community and economic development, said in the release.
