On November 21, 2025, Amazon dropped a bombshell: a $3 billion investment to build a massive data center campus in Warren County, Mississippi. Not just any data center — this one’s built for Amazon Web Services’s next-generation AI infrastructure, and it’s the biggest single investment in the county’s history. Construction kicks off in 2026, and the ripple effects are already being felt from Vicksburg’s Main Street to the halls of the Mississippi State Capitol.
The Digital Delta Is Real
When Governor Tate Reeves stood at the podium in Jackson and declared, "The future of technology is being built right here in the heart of the Digital Delta," he wasn’t just giving a speech. He was acknowledging a seismic shift. For decades, Mississippi’s economy was tied to agriculture, manufacturing, and logistics. Now, it’s being redefined by silicon, servers, and algorithms. The Amazon campus in Warren County will house Amazon Web Services’s Project Rainier — one of the world’s largest AI compute clusters — with nearly 500,000 Trainium2 chips running at full throttle. That’s not just tech jargon. It’s the engine powering AI models used by companies like Anthropic, which plans to scale to over 1 million chips by year’s end.
Here’s the thing: this isn’t Amazon’s first swing in Mississippi. In January 2024, the company pledged $10 billion to build a similar campus in Madison County. That project alone created over 1,000 direct jobs and sparked thousands more in construction, logistics, and services. Now, Warren County is getting its turn. And this time, the state doubled down.
Why Warren County? Power, Politics, and Perseverance
Why Vicksburg? It wasn’t luck. It was strategy.
First, power. Entergy Mississippi, Incorporated pledged to deliver the massive, reliable electricity this campus needs — a non-negotiable for data centers guzzling megawatts. "That was a key factor," confirmed Bill Cork, Executive Director of the Mississippi Development Authority. Without that guarantee, the deal wouldn’t have closed.
Second, policy. Governor Reeves signed the Mississippi Major Economic Impact Act in 2024, unlocking $44 million in state incentives — specifically earmarked for this project. And here’s the twist: those same incentives will be applied to the Warren County site, creating a direct legislative bridge between the two campuses. It’s not just investment; it’s institutional commitment.
Third, local grit. Kelle Barfield, President of the Warren County Board of Supervisors, didn’t sugarcoat it: "The decision was met with challenges." Zoning, infrastructure upgrades, workforce training — each hurdle required coordination between city, county, and state leaders. "But we overcame them," she said. "And now we’re building a legacy."
Jobs, Grants, and a New Economic DNA
The numbers speak loudly: 200 direct, high-paying jobs at the facility — engineers, security specialists, operations managers — and over 300 more across the county in supporting roles. These aren’t minimum wage gigs. These are careers with benefits, growth paths, and salaries that can lift entire families out of poverty.
But Amazon didn’t stop at payroll. It launched the Warren County Community Fund, a $150,000 grant pool for local nonprofits, schools, and community groups. Residents can apply for up to $10,000 for STEM programs, digital literacy training, environmental projects, even cultural heritage preservation. It’s a quiet but powerful move — investing in the people as much as the servers.
"This isn’t just a data center," said Pablo Diaz, CEO of the Vicksburg-Warren Partnership. "It’s a transformation. For small businesses, for our tax base, for our kids who can now dream of being AI engineers without leaving home."
What This Means for Mississippi — and the Nation
Mississippi is no longer the state that just produces cotton and blues music. It’s becoming a tech corridor. With two massive Amazon campuses — one in Madison County, one in Warren County — the state is now among the top five in the U.S. for AI infrastructure investment. And it’s happening without the coastal hype of Silicon Valley or the tax breaks of Texas.
What’s next? Other tech giants will take notice. The infrastructure is in place. The workforce pipeline is being built. The political will is locked in. This could be the beginning of a new Rust Belt — but for the South, where data replaces steel, and fiber optics replace railroads.
What’s Next? The Timeline
- November 2025: Official announcement by Amazon and Governor Reeves
- Early 2026: Site preparation and infrastructure upgrades begin
- Mid-2026: Construction of data center buildings and power infrastructure
- 2027: First servers installed, testing begins
- 2028: Full operational capacity expected
Meanwhile, the Warren County Community Fund will begin accepting grant applications in Q1 2026 — giving local organizations a head start on preparing for the AI-driven future.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
How many jobs will the Amazon data center actually create in Warren County?
Amazon projects at least 200 direct, full-time positions at the data center campus, including roles like network engineers, cybersecurity analysts, and facility managers. An additional 300+ full-time equivalent jobs will be created indirectly — through contractors, suppliers, maintenance firms, and local businesses serving employees. These are not temporary construction roles; they’re long-term, high-skill positions with median salaries estimated at $85,000+, significantly above the county’s current average.
What’s the connection between the Madison County and Warren County data centers?
Both are part of Amazon’s broader strategy to scale AI infrastructure in the Southeast. The Warren County project benefits directly from the same state incentives — $44 million — authorized under the 2024 Mississippi Major Economic Impact Act, originally designed for the Madison County campus. This legal linkage ensures consistency in tax treatment and regulatory support, signaling to investors that Mississippi is a reliable, long-term hub for tech infrastructure.
How will the Warren County Community Fund work, and who can apply?
The $150,000 fund, administered by Amazon, allows nonprofits, public schools, community organizations, and local governments in Warren County to apply for grants up to $10,000. Priority areas include STEM education for K-12 students, digital skills training for adults, environmental sustainability projects, and cultural heritage preservation. Applications open in early 2026, with funding decisions made quarterly. No match required — this is pure grant support.
Is there enough power to support this data center?
Yes. Entergy Mississippi, Incorporated has committed to upgrading its grid infrastructure in Warren County to deliver reliable, high-capacity electricity — a critical requirement for AI data centers that consume power equivalent to small cities. The utility has already begun planning substation expansions and backup generation systems. This level of commitment from a regional utility is rare and was a decisive factor in Amazon’s choice of location.
Why is this investment considered historic for Warren County?
The $3 billion figure dwarfs any previous single investment in Warren County’s history. For context, the largest prior project — the expansion of the Vicksburg Naval Base in the 1990s — totaled around $400 million in today’s dollars. This Amazon campus represents a seven-fold increase in economic scale, with long-term tax revenues expected to boost county services for decades. It’s not just a building; it’s a new economic identity.
What does this mean for Mississippi’s future in tech?
Mississippi is positioning itself as a serious player in the AI infrastructure race. With two billion-dollar campuses already committed and a proven track record of delivering incentives and power, the state is now on the map for other tech giants like Microsoft, Google, and Oracle. The goal isn’t just to attract data centers — it’s to build a local tech workforce, foster innovation hubs, and turn rural communities into nodes in the national digital economy.