Study: Facebook Henrico Data Center invested $1 billion into Va. economy

The new Facebook Henrico Data Center in Sandston at the White Oak Technology Park, which opened earlier this year, has represented a total investment of $1 billion in Virginia, according to a study released today by the social media giant and RTI International.

The company broke ground on the data center in 2017 and quickly opted to more than double the size of its initial plans – enlarging the site to include more than 2.5 million square feet of space. The first phase is now operational, and construction work continues on the second phase.

The center supported some 1,500 construction jobs at its peak and ultimately will employ more than 200 Facebook workers.

In total, Facebook’s investments through capital expenditures, operating expenses and direct wages in data centers nationwide during the past three years totaled $11.5 billion, contributed a cumulative $18.6 billion to the U.S. GDP and supported more than 178,000 jobs, according to the study.

Facebook has 8 functional data center locations across the U.S., with 5 additional facilities currently under construction. The study does not include that in 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic and mass lay offs across the U.S., Facebook has announced more than 4.8 million square feet of new data center construction in the U.S.

“We are proud to invest $1 billion into Henrico but even prouder to see how our investments spur further economic benefits for the area especially during this tough economic climate,” said Facebook Community Development Manager Amber Tillman. “Our data center investments go beyond economic growth to benefit the local environment and community."

Results of the study show that for every $1 million in data center capital expenditures, there were 14 jobs supported in the area, and for every $1 million in data center operating expenditures, 18 jobs were supported. 

Facebook also made more than 300 charitable investments from 2017-2019 that focused on putting the power of technology to use for community benefit and improving local science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education. The study estimates that Facebook data centers have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by more than 3 million tons since 2011, the equivalent of taking more than 660,000 cars off the road.

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Disclosure: The Henrico Citizen received a Facebook Local Journalism Project COVID-19 Local News Relief Fund Grant Program grant earlier this year.