Amazon Just Chose Louisiana for Its First Data Centers in the State—Construction Starts in Weeks

SHREVEPORT, La. (KPEL News) — Tech and retail giant Amazon is continuing to grow in Louisiana, this time with a major economic announcement.

Amazon has chosen Louisiana for its first-ever data center campuses in the state, committing $12 billion to a multi-site development across Caddo and Bossier Parishes that officials are calling one of the most significant economic announcements in northwest Louisiana's history.

What Amazon Is Building in Northwest Louisiana

Louisiana Economic Development announced Monday that Amazon plans to construct state-of-the-art data center campuses designed to support cloud computing and artificial intelligence technologies. The investment represents a coordinated, multi-site build spanning both sides of the Red River — with interconnected campuses in Caddo and Bossier Parishes designed to ensure continuous service and redundant operations.

Amazon is partnering with STACK Infrastructure as the developer and owner of the campuses. STACK will lead construction and development, with the company projecting up to 1,500 construction jobs throughout the build — a significant pipeline of work for local contractors, skilled tradespeople, and suppliers across the region.

“Amazon’s $12 billion investment in northwest Louisiana will build next-generation data center campuses to support AI and cloud computing,” said Amazon Chief Global Affairs and Legal Officer David Zapolsky. “We’re creating hundreds of high-paying jobs and making substantial investments in local infrastructure.”

Jobs, Tax Revenue, and What Northwest Louisiana Can Expect

The 540 direct jobs the project creates are expected to be high-wage technology and operations positions. LED estimates the total economic ripple effect reaches 1,700 additional indirect jobs across the Northwest Region — everything from support services to local vendors supplying the campuses.

Beyond employment, the project is expected to generate significant new tax revenue for Caddo and Bossier Parishes, with funds flowing to local schools, public services, and infrastructure improvements in surrounding communities. The North Louisiana Economic Partnership called the announcement transformational for the region.

“By spanning both sides of the Red River, this project quite literally bridges our communities and ensures opportunity flows across the entire region,” said NLEP President and CEO Justyn Dixon. “We are bringing hundreds of high-paying jobs, millions in tax revenue for our schools, and proof that northwest Louisiana competes on the global stage.”

Amazon’s History in Louisiana — And Why They Chose the State Again

This isn’t Amazon’s first investment in Louisiana. According to LED, Amazon has invested more than $4.7 billion in the state since 2010, employing thousands of Louisiana residents through fulfillment centers, delivery stations, Whole Foods Market locations, and solar energy projects across the state.

The new data center campuses represent Amazon’s first major technology infrastructure footprint in Louisiana, and officials say the state’s combination of reliable power, available land, competitive costs, and a skilled workforce made the difference in the site selection process.

To secure the project, the state offered Amazon an incentives package that includes LED FastStart workforce development solutions and participation in the state’s High Impact Jobs and Data Center Sales Tax Exemption programs.

Governor Jeff Landry framed the win in terms of Louisiana’s broader economic momentum. Since taking office, his administration has secured $90 billion in capital investment and nearly 80,000 new job opportunities statewide. In 2025 alone, Louisiana delivered more than $61 billion in new investment — the largest capital investment year in state history.

“Amazon is making a long-term commitment to Louisiana because our state delivers — prime sites, strong infrastructure, and a skilled, hard-working workforce ready to support the next generation of technological innovation,” Landry said.

How Power and Infrastructure Will Work

Energy for the campuses will be provided through SWEPCO, the local utility serving northwest Louisiana. In a notable arrangement, Amazon has committed to covering 100% of the costs for new energy infrastructure and grid upgrades required to serve the data centers, including all expenses for new transmission and distribution improvements.

SWEPCO President and COO Brett Mattison noted that the agreement is structured to protect existing customers. “We are ready to serve this significant customer while remaining fully committed to each customer in every community we serve,” Mattison said.

That distinction matters. In other parts of Louisiana where major data center projects have landed — most notably Meta’s $10 billion Hyperion campus in Richland Parish — questions have emerged about how new energy infrastructure costs get allocated among existing ratepayers. The SWEPCO arrangement with Amazon appears designed to address that concern directly by requiring Amazon to bear those infrastructure costs itself.

Northwest Louisiana’s Growing Role in America’s Digital Economy

Amazon’s announcement is the latest and largest in a wave of major technology investments hitting northwest Louisiana. The region has been positioning itself as an emerging data center hub, with economists comparing the potential impact to the Haynesville Shale boom that transformed the area’s economy in the late 2000s.

Shreveport-Bossier’s combination of available land, competitive power rates, existing fiber infrastructure, and proximity to major markets has made it increasingly attractive to hyperscalers — the large-scale cloud and AI operators that include Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft. The region also benefits from the Cyber Research Park, Barksdale Air Force Base’s technology ecosystem, and a workforce development infrastructure that state officials regularly cite as a competitive advantage.

LED Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois connected the Amazon announcement to the broader economic picture. “These investments are not isolated wins; they activate local supply chains, create new opportunities for Louisiana vendors, and open doors for our people to access high-wage careers,” Bourgeois said.

Construction on the first Amazon data center campuses in Louisiana is expected to begin within weeks.