Facebook data center planned near Atlanta

ATLANTA — Facebook is investing $750 million over the next five years to build a huge data center outside of Atlanta as the demand for data storage continues to increase.

Gov. Nathan Deal made the announcement Wednesday, a week after Georgia lawmakers made national news for punishing Delta Air Lines over its decision to cut ties with the National Rifle Association.

The social media giant’s 9th U.S. data center will be built in Newton County, about 45 miles east of downtown Atlanta. The Menlo Park, Calif., company has been adding data centers in the U.S. and internationally to handle the growing number of photos, videos and additional digital content from its 2 billion users.

Deal has made bolstering Georgia’s business climate a primary focus of his two terms in office. Last Wednesday, he had sought to assuage anyone who might doubt Georgia’s business-friendly reputation due to the Delta controversy, calling the issue an “unbecoming squabble.”

This week, Deal was back to promoting Georgia as a destination for businesses.

“It seems altogether appropriate that a company whose name is known by virtually everyone everywhere … would select (Georgia),” he said.

The data center, which is expected to be fully operational in 2020, will lead to the creation of more than 100 full-time jobs, Deal said. It will consist of two buildings that will be powered exclusively with renewable energy.