Landry questioned about Meta data center NDA
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry was questioned by WWL investigative reporter David Hammer regarding a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) he signed with Meta concerning their plans to build a large data center in Richland Parish. The NDA prevents public disclosure of investment details for the 'Manhattan-sized' data center project. The project is expected to bring over 90,000 yearly average wages to the parish, a significant increase from the current average of $32,000.
Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry faced questions from WWL investigative reporter David Hammer concerning a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) he signed with Meta regarding a proposed data center in Richland Parish. The questioning followed reports by Gulf States Newsroom's Drew Hawkins, which revealed that Meta had plans for a 'Manhattan-sized' data center in the area and that Governor Landry himself had signed an NDA prior to Meta's arrival in the parish.
Governor Landry defended the NDA, stating that companies like Meta prefer not to publicly divulge the specifics of their potential investments. He highlighted the significant economic benefits of the project, noting that the average yearly wage in Richland Parish is currently around $32,000, but is projected to rise to over $90,000 once the Meta data center is complete, representing a threefold increase. He emphasized the 'great opportunities' and unprecedented economic growth this development would bring to the parish, despite concerns about transparency.