Oregon Public Broadcasting

The social networking site Facebook has announced it will build a data center in Prineville. Ryan Knutson reports.

The construction project will take about a year and create at least 200 jobs.

The company says thirty-five people will work for Facebook when the project is complete. It’s welcome news for the area, which has struggled with some of the highest unemployment in the state.

Rem Nivins of Governor Ted Kulongoski’s office said the fact that the building will be designed to Gold LEED environmental standards is an added plus.

Rem Nivins: “We’ve been very aggressive in terms of looking at companies that fit well here, that can create a facility that’s going to fit in with our ideals around renewable energy and energy efficiency and also is going to bring great jobs to the area.”

This is the first data center being built by the popular social-networking site.

Company officials say Prineville’s energy resources, open space and talented workforce were the primary factors in the decision.