KUNA, Idaho — The company Meta, formerly known as Facebook, is paying $50 million out of its pocket to supply industrial zoned land in Kuna with water and sewer infrastructure.
Meta plans to build a 960,000 square-foot data center on this land. The facility alone will cost the company $800 million.
The City of Kuna zoned 1,500 acres for industrial use back in 2015 according to the city's Director of Economic Development, Morgan Treasure. However, outfitting the land with the proper infrastructure - like water and sewer - was a hurdle. It has stopped the land from being put to use, until now.
The utility will stand alone and not connect to pre-existing city lines. However, the city will own and operate the utility once it's complete.
"These don't come across my desk often where a company is willing to put up all the construction cost for infrastructure that isn't there," Treasure said. "This is a very exciting perk. We really see it as a catalyst here for Kuna."
The city hopes this is the beginning of an industrial park that will bring jobs to residents and corporate tax dollars to the city.
Local residents shoulder 90% of the tax burden according to Kuna Mayor, Joe Stear. Stear hopes this development increases the corporate tax contribution and eases the burden off residents.
"Meta has been a great partner," Mayor Stear said. "They're doing a lot more for this community than most businesses would. They're building more than they need just so we can expand that industrial park out there and really make things happen."
Currently, 95% of Kuna residents work outside the city, Treasure said. She hopes the development of an industrial park provides them with local jobs.
The Meta Data Center will employ 100 people after construction.
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