Louisiana has finalized plans for another massive artificial intelligence data center investment, with Hut 8 moving forward on a $10 billion AI campus in West Feliciana Parish.
Hut 8, which develops and operates an integrated portfolio of power, digital infrastructure and compute assets, said the River Bend artificial intelligence data center campus will employ more than 1,000 construction workers at its peak. Construction has already been underway for several months following extensive coordination between parish leaders and state officials.
Anthropic, the artificial intelligence company behind the Claude chatbot, has signed a long-term agreement to utilize the facility, according to Hut 8 and state officials, who made the announcement on Dec. 17. The deal provides a major anchor tenant for the project and reinforces Louisiana’s growing appeal to global AI and technology firms.
"It's a transformational and generational project for our parish and region," West Feliciana Parish President Kenny Havard said in an interview with USA Today Network. "The possibilities really are endless."
The River Bend campus represents the second $10 billion-plus data center project announced in Louisiana in the past two years. It follows Meta’s major data center investment in Richland Parish, which was initially announced at $10 billion and has since expanded to at least $25 billion, underscoring the state’s accelerating role in large-scale digital infrastructure development.
"Hut 8’s investment in River Bend builds on our track record of attracting global-scale projects in the industries of the future," Gov. Jeff Landry said in a statement. "As the campus grows, it will further cement Louisiana’s position as a national leader in energy and innovation, creating thousands of jobs and reaffirming our ability to compete and win on the global stage."
State economic development officials highlighted the project’s long-term workforce and economic impact, particularly in creating high-wage employment opportunities tied to emerging technologies.
“River Bend demonstrates that Louisiana’s economic strategy is taking our state from plans to progress," Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois said in a statement. "This project will generate high-wage jobs and create pathways for Louisianans to build long-term careers in the industries of the future. It’s a clear example of how aligning policy, partnership and people translates into lasting opportunity."
Construction on the River Bend AI data center campus is scheduled for completion in the second quarter of 2027. Once operational, the facility is expected to play a significant role in meeting growing demand for AI compute capacity while reinforcing Louisiana’s position as a hub for energy-intensive, next-generation infrastructure projects.
Originally reported by Greg Hilburn in Shreveport Times.
