Meta (META.O) has enlisted U.S. bond giant PIMCO and alternative asset manager Blue Owl Capital (OWL.N) to lead a $29 billion financing effort for its data center expansion project in rural Louisiana, according to a source familiar with the matter. PIMCO is expected to manage approximately $26 billion in debt financing, likely issued through bonds, while Blue Owl will contribute around $3 billion in equity.
Bloomberg News earlier reported that Meta had been working with Morgan Stanley (MS.N) on raising funds, with Apollo Global Management (APO.N) and KKR (KKR.N) also in contention to lead the financing until the final stages of negotiations. Meta, PIMCO, and Blue Owl declined to comment on the details.
This financing move supports Meta’s broader push to build AI infrastructure. Recently, the company disclosed plans to divest about $2 billion in data center assets as part of a co-development strategy to share construction costs for generative AI facilities. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced intentions to invest hundreds of billions into AI data centers, including the upcoming Prometheus and Hyperion centers—expected to come online in 2026 and scale to 5 gigawatts respectively.
The initiative underscores Meta’s aggressive investment in AI technology amid an ongoing talent war for engineers and competition in the AI sector.