Meta is the company behind a proposed hyperscale data-centre campus of nearly 3,000 acres in Mason County, Kentucky. County officials named it at a Mason County Fiscal Court meeting on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, when commissioners also approved a community benefits agreement with the company, according to the Mason County Post, which credited the Maysville Ledger-Independent with first reporting the details.
Meta itself calls it a “potential project”. The first phase involves an initial capital investment of $10 billion. County materials say the total could reach $800 billion over 40 years if every planned phase is built, but that is a potential figure, not a firm commitment.
What was agreed
The Mason County Post reported that, under the agreement, Meta is committing to a capital investment of $10 billion, “with the potential for additional investment in future phases.”
The Lexington Herald Leader reported, citing a county news release, that Meta has a five-phase development plan and that “over a 40-year period, the project could represent a capital investment of $800 billion.” The Mason County Post said “approximately $800 billion in Industrial Revenue Bonds are associated with the project, with an estimated $10 billion per phase.”
According to the Herald Leader, a summary document dated 6 October says the first phase would be “one 396 MW data center and related facilities on approximately 2,900 acres of land,” and is “forecast to begin within 36 months” of the agreement being signed. Later buildings would each take about two years. County Judge-Executive Owen McNeill told the paper the project is contingent on approval of incentives by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA).
The county’s release said the agreement was signed with Meta’s single-purpose entity, Crisham LLC, the Herald Leader reported.
Jobs: the outlets’ figures differ
Reports of the job numbers do not match, so TSN is giving each outlet’s figures separately.
- Mason County Post: “More than 2,000 construction and skilled trade jobs” and “More than 400 full-time jobs at full build-out, with the possibility of additional positions in later phases.”
- Lexington Herald Leader: at least 100 people employed initially, with the potential for up to 400 after future phases. More than 2,000 skilled trade workers at peak construction, with 4,000 or more possibly working there during later phases.
- DCD: DCD reported, citing the Ledger Independent, that the project “will generate more than 4,000 construction jobs and 300 long-term roles once operational.”
Money for the county, and a tax break
The Mason County Post listed about $115 million in infrastructure improvements, including roads, a water treatment plant and water pipelines, and a $15 million public safety impact fee. The Herald Leader said Meta would put $45 million toward a new regional water treatment plant, matched by state money, plus $40 million for Maysville’s water system and $15 million for the Western Mason Water District.
In return, Meta would not pay local property taxes. The county would issue industrial revenue bonds lasting up to 40 years, the Kentucky Lantern reported. Under that kind of deal, the government owns the property and leases it back to the company, which avoids property tax because a government does not tax its own land.
Instead, Meta would make payments in lieu of taxes. The county release, as quoted by the Herald Leader, says Mason County government would get “$5 million per year per phase, or $30 million per year at full buildout,” and the school district “$2 million per year per phase, or $12 million per year at full buildout,” plus money from a 3% energy tax.
Meta said: “With this potential project, we’ll not only pay the full cost of the power we use but we’ll invest directly in Mason County — in schools, workforce training and local infrastructure — guided by what local leaders and residents tell us they need.”
Local opposition
Not everyone is in favour. The Kentucky Lantern reported that local officials had signed non-disclosure agreements that kept Meta’s identity secret for more than a year, which the residents’ group We Are Mason County criticised. Its executive director, Max Moran, questioned whether the bond deal meets Governor Andy Beshear’s executive order that data-centre developers pay their “full and fair share” of local taxes. The Herald Leader said lawsuits have been filed challenging how the county handled the process.
DCD reported that a petition against the project had 1,429 signatures, and that earlier rezoning documents suggested power capacity could reach up to 2.2GW.
What to watch
The next step is KEDFA’s decision on state incentives. Watch also for the outcome of the lawsuits and for any detail from Meta on timing.
What this means
- A big start, a bigger maybe. $10 billion is the first phase; $800 billion is a 40-year potential.
- Job numbers vary. Outlets report different construction and permanent job counts.
- Tax break in exchange for payments. Meta skips property tax but pays the county and schools directly.
Sources
- Mason County Post, “Report: Meta announced as developer of Mason County Kentucky data center project”, 13 October 2026
- Karla Ward, “Kentucky county inks deal with Meta for data center that could be worth up to $800B”, Lexington Herald Leader, 14 October 2026
- Liam Niemeyer, “Meta revealed as company behind controversial Mason County hyperscale data center”, Kentucky Lantern, 14 October 2026
- Georgia Butler, “Meta named as company behind 3,000 acre data center project in Mason County, Kentucky”, DCD, 15 October 2026
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