The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Meta announced a $1 billion investment in an AI-focused data center campus in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, on November 12, 2025. The company plans a campus larger than 700,000 square feet and says it will fund nearly $200 million in related energy infrastructure. The project is expected to come online in 2027, but the schedule, jobs, environmental commitments and local tax benefits remain plans or projections—not verified results.
Where is the data center, and when is it expected to open?
The campus is planned for Beaver Dam Commerce Park. Alliant Energy describes the park as Wisconsin’s largest certified site and says it has been shovel-ready since the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation designated it in 2019. The City of Beaver Dam says the city and Beaver Dam Area Development Corporation signed an agreement with the site developer on December 9, 2024; a development corporation release in February 2025 identified a potential data center.
Meta announced the project on November 12, 2025. Alliant Energy’s announcement expected the facility to come online in 2027. That is a forecast, not confirmation of the construction schedule or opening date. Neither the announcements nor the city FAQ establish the project’s construction progress as of September 30, 2026.
How much is Meta investing?
Meta described its investment as $1 billion. Alliant Energy characterized it as more than $1 billion. The difference reflects the wording of the two announcements; neither figure should be treated as a final audited project cost.
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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteMeta says it will underwrite nearly $200 million in energy infrastructure, including network upgrades, utility substations and transmission lines. That is a stated commitment, not a report of completed infrastructure.
How many jobs are expected?
Meta forecast approximately 1,000 construction jobs and more than 100 operational jobs. Alliant Energy specified more than 1,000 skilled trade workers at peak and more than 100 operational jobs. The construction figure refers to peak activity, not a promise of that many permanent positions. The announcements do not establish actual hiring or realized job totals.
What does “100% clean and renewable energy” mean here?
Meta says electricity used by the campus will be matched with 100% clean and renewable energy. The announcement is a commitment about matching; it does not establish the final generation mix supplying the facility or independently verify how the matching will be accounted for. Meta and Alliant also describe planned energy infrastructure investments, but those commitments are not evidence that the upgrades or renewable matching are already in place.
Will the facility use water for cooling?
Meta says the Beaver Dam campus will use dry cooling, along with rainwater capture, water-saving fixtures and native landscaping. The company also says it will restore 100% of the water consumed to local watersheds. These are project commitments; actual operating water use and watershed restoration have not yet been established by the cited announcements.
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The city FAQ separately assesses projected water-treatment and wastewater demand as well below available capacity. That is the city’s assessment of projected demand, not a measurement of the facility’s eventual water use.
What local benefits are promised or projected?
Wetland and prairie restoration
Meta and Alliant say 570 acres of wetland and prairie will be restored. Approximately 175 acres are expected to be deeded to Ducks Unlimited and partners. These are planned conservation outcomes; the announcements do not establish that the restoration or transfer has been completed.
Help with household energy costs
Meta announced a $15 million donation to Alliant Energy’s Hometown Care Energy Fund over ten years to help eligible families with energy costs. The announcement states the planned contribution and purpose; it does not specify how much any individual household will receive.
Tax revenue and property value
The City of Beaver Dam FAQ projects approximately $600 million in additional property value and just over $10 million in annual tax revenue for local taxing jurisdictions. The annual-revenue projection applies after the project is complete and the tax increment district (TID) is fully repaid—not during construction or automatically from the announcement date.
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Under the city’s explanation, the city invests in infrastructure, and growth in property value generates tax increment used to repay district costs. After repayment, the new property value and associated tax revenue are shared among taxing jurisdictions. The FAQ’s figures are city projections, not guaranteed amounts or tax receipts already collected.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What should residents look for as the project develops?
The announcements and city FAQ set out targets, but do not establish realized outcomes. Useful measures to track against those commitments include:
- Whether the campus opens on the forecast schedule.
- Construction employment at peak and the number of permanent operational jobs.
- Which energy infrastructure is delivered and how clean-energy matching is documented.
- Actual water use, dry-cooling performance and watershed restoration.
- How many acres are restored and whether the planned acreage is deeded to Ducks Unlimited and partners.
- Property value and annual tax revenue after completion and full TID repayment.
Meta data center community and economic development director Brad Davis said, “We’re thrilled to announce Meta’s first Wisconsin data center in Beaver Dam. This is the perfect home for Meta for several reasons, including great local talent, strong community partnerships, and reliable infrastructure,” in Alliant Energy’s announcement. Beaver Dam mayor Bobbi Marck said, “I’m excited for the positive things this project brings to Beaver Dam, including the increased tax base and additional jobs,” in the same announcement. These are the speakers’ views, not independent verification of the projected benefits.
Quick Recap
Sources
- Meta Data Centers, “Hello, Beaver Dam!” (November 12, 2025)
- Alliant Energy, “Meta announces $1 billion Data Center Investment in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin Project” (November 12, 2025)
- Meta, “Meta’s 30th Data Center: Delivering AI, Creating Community Benefits, and Supporting Wetlands Restoration” (November 2025)
- City of Beaver Dam, “Data Center City FAQ Sheet: Beaver Dam, WI”
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