A new report that describes how Facebook’s data centers have impacted surrounding areas could predict how a new one will impact Gallatin.
As The Tennessee Star reported in August, Facebook will invest $800 million to build a new state-of-the-art data center in Gallatin to create approximately 100 jobs. Gallatin officials said at the time that Facebook will hire locally.
The North Carolina-based RTI International prepared the report about Facebook data centers throughout the nation and their economic impact. Facebook has 13 data centers in the United States, and eight of those now serve traffic, according to the report.
“RTI analyzed Facebook’s expenditures for U.S. data center construction and operations and estimated that, when accounting for multiplier effects, Facebook data centers have contributed a cumulative $18.6 billion in gross domestic product (GDP) to the U.S. economy from 2017 through 2019, or $6.2 billion per year,” the report said.
“This contribution estimate was primarily driven by up-front capital investments in construction. Facebook invested over $173 million in data center operations, on average, each year. RTI estimated that 18 jobs were supported in the economy for every $1 million in data center operating expenditures.”
RTI officials also said that Facebook data centers offer their local direct grantmaking, volunteering, and other partnership opportunities to their local areas.
“The total cumulative effects of Facebook’s data center investments over the last three years included direct, indirect, and induced contributions to the economy. Investments in Facebook’s data center workforce drove the company’s $3 billion cumulative U.S. GDP contribution from operating expenditures,” according to the report.
“Facebook’s cumulative contribution to U.S. GDP from capital expenditures was driven by spending across the sectors outlined below as well as others in the supply chain such as wholesale trade, metal, HVAC, and switchboard manufacturing: $9.7 billion of $15.7 billion total effects.”
In August, Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development officials said in a press release, that more than 1,100 construction workers will work on the 982,000 square-foot facility. The center, located about 30 miles from Nashville, will house various types of workers, including technical operations, electricians, logistics staff, and security.
Gallatin Mayor Paige Brown told The Star in an August email that the facility is “a huge server farm” that will store and process Facebook’s data and other platforms.
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Chris Butler is an investigative journalist at The Tennessee Star. Follow Chris on Facebook. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Clonee Data Center” by Facebook.
I would absolutely cancel that deal ASAP ! The technocrats or Gods of speech over internet is not a good thing . They always control the narrative, they will hire local and then fire and bring in commies to control track trace and keep all info for future events. Let’s not forget they use profits to buy up everything around you . O and what ab ibm and the Holocaust? Do you remember history? It’s kinda hard when the truth has been hidden from generation to generation. Wake up America !
Gallatin can hardly handle their growth now. Looking back on Nashville’s growth I am still waiting for the advantages of all of the economic boom, oh yes the Dictator Democratic Mayor Cooper’s 34% tax increase that Commie Cooper had to have to keep Nashville afloat. Growth is not always a good thing without sensible management and leadership. All politicians are on huge ego power trips and growth feeds it! It maybe great for Gallatin and I hope for the citizens sake it is.