Mortenson to Build Meta’s $1B Wisconsin Data Center

Meta has hired Minneapolis-based Mortenson to build a 700,000-square-foot, $1 billion data center in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, one of its largest U.S. infrastructure investments.

Mortenson will serve as the general contractor for the data center, which is expected to be Meta’s 30th worldwide and 26th in the United States.

Steve Knighton, the firm’s vice president and general manager for data center operations, said the build will rely heavily on digital tools and automation.

Knighton said the construction team will use BIM coordination, live digital maps of underground utilities, and drone-based data capture. 

“This data center campus will […] be optimized for our AI workloads as part of the highly advanced infrastructure that helps connect billions of people around the world.”

Robotic automated layout will also be employed, and teams will use Meta Quest headsets to carry out virtual reality reviews with project stakeholders.

“Meta custom designs and builds our own industry-leading infrastructure at scale, and we prioritize efficiency, flexibility and sustainability,” Knighton said.

Water use has become a major concern in communities facing similar proposals. Residents in Beaver Dam have also raised questions about the environmental impact of the project.

Meta, which is building the world’s longest undersea cable, said the new facility will use dry cooling technology that “will eliminate water demand for cooling once operation begins.” 

The company also pledged to return all water consumed during operations to local watersheds.

Meta plans to fund $200 million in energy infrastructure upgrades to support the campus. These include network improvements and new substations.

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Major contractors, such as AECOM, have warned that data center growth is creating significant new demand for power and related infrastructure.

Meta also intends to restore 570 acres of wetlands and prairie around the site.

Data center construction continues to reshape the broader construction market. An Associated Builders and Contractors survey found that about one in seven contractors now works in this sector. Those firms report far larger backlogs than builders without similar projects.

Meta expects the Beaver Dam facility to open in 2027.

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