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Facebook will invest $750 million to build a data center in Huntsville, Ala., creating 100 jobs, according to officials.
"Every day, millions of people around the world use Facebook's products, and this new Alabama data center will soon play a role in keeping the company's popular platforms running flawlessly," said Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey.
The average annual salary of the jobs will be $80,000, officials said.
Facebook will receive an investment credit under the Alabama Jobs Act with an estimated value of $86.25 million over 10 years, according to the governor's office. Total new revenue over 30 years from the data center is estimated to be $297.3 million that will be divided between the city, county and state, the office said.
The company said it chose Alabama and the Huntsville area because of quality of life, a pro-business environment, and a talented and available workforce.
The giant data center will be the second in Northeast Alabama. In April, internet giant Google officially launched construction of a $600 million data center in Jackson County. That project will create as many as 100 full-time jobs.
Google said the data center in Bridgeport will be a hub for internet traffic, fitting into a network that keeps the company's search engine and its other internet-based products functioning around the clock.
Matt VanderZanden, director of site selection at Facebook, said Huntsville is one of the fastest growing tech hubs in the country.
"We are committed to having a positive impact at the local level and look forward to a strong partnership with the Huntsville community," he said.
Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Department of Commerce, said Facebook's in Huntsville reflects Alabama's attractiveness to technology companies, and marks another important chapter in the growth story of the state's tech sector.
"Facebook is a world-class company, and we look forward to building a lasting partnership that sets the stage for even more growth," he said.
The Huntsville City Council gave unanimous approval on May 24 for Facebook's project entity, Starbelt LLC, to purchase 340 acres at $8.5 million in North Huntsville Industrial Park.
"Huntsville's Gig City strategy to sustain our position as a leader in the knowledge economy has brought us a company that knows something about creating connections," said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle.
Facebook has established a new Page for this project: Facebook.com/HuntsvilleDataCenter. Please 'Like' the page for updates specific to the Huntsville data center, including job postings, information on how to join in the construction process, and more.