Mississippi’s swell of economic momentum got another big surge on Thursday after Compass Datacenters announced a $10 billion development in Lauderdale County.
The Dallas-based multinational data center developer is making Meridian the home to its first campus in the region and one of the largest hyperscale data center development in the southeastern U.S. Eight data centers will make up the full campus, which is expected to be constructed over an eight-year period.
$10 billion private sector investment and thousands of jobs coming to Lauderdale County Mississippi!
— Governor Tate Reeves (@tatereeves) January 9, 2025
Thousands of jobs will be created in the project, which will also include other information technology equipment from future third party tenants.
“The $10 billion megadeal is huge for Lauderdale County and the entire state as we continue an impressive economic development streak that is unprecedented in Mississippi,” Gov. Tate Reeves said. “Through our pro-business policies and favorable business environment, we continue to establish our state as an ideal location for high-tech developments by providing the resources needed for innovation and growth.
“I thank the Compass Datacenters team for its well-placed confidence in our people and in our business climate, which will provide ample opportunities for the company and the residents of Meridian and Lauderdale County now and for generations to come.”
Compass Datacenters, one of the world’s 5000 fastest growing companies according to Inc. Magazine, builds single tenant, hyperscale data center campuses designed to last more than 100 years and create economies of scale to support local businesses and jobs. A number of other organizations have come together to make the project possible and attract the Texas company to Meridian.
Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) will assist in site preparation for the project, along with certifying Compass Datacenters as a data center operator. The certification will provide the company with 10-year state income and franchise tax exemptions, along with a sales and use tax exemption on construction materials, equipment and software and hardware replacements. Mississippi Power will supply around 500 megawatts of power to the facility.
“Compass Datacenters’ multi-billion investment in Meridian marks yet another monumental economic development win for Mississippi, and it is the result of many factors that position our state as a hub or these high-tech projects,” MDA Executive Director Bill Cork said. “Speed to market, the availability of a shovel-ready site in Meridian I-10/59 Industrial Park, and the capabilities of Mississippi Power were key to Compass Datacenters choosing Lauderdale County.”
The new project runs parallel to the $10 billion Amazon Web Services data center development in Madison County which broke ground in May of 2024. The massive facilities house and power a myriad of computer services, which run the applications and services that make a litany of online solutions possible, including business software, online shopping, entertainment streaming, email, digital file storage, and more.
“We are looking forward to building our next campus in Meridian,” Compass Datacenters president and chief development officer AJ Byers said. “We appreciate the time and effort MDA, East Mississippi Business Development Corporation, and Mississippi Power have invested with us to bring this project to fruition and look forward to bringing good-paying jobs and economic benefits to the region for decades to come.”
