A Louisiana state senator helped secure Meta's largest datacenter. Then he sold the land beside it

For over two years, John "Jay" Morris, a state senator from Louisiana, played a significant role in facilitating the establishment of Meta's Hyperion datacenter, one of the largest datacenters globally, in Richland Parish.

As a Republican attorney, he lobbied a utility regulator to obtain crucial approval, co-sponsored two bills that facilitated the land transaction between Meta and the state, and voted in favor of two additional bills that granted the tech giant tax incentives estimated at $3.3 billion.

A recent investigation by Floodlight has revealed that during the time Morris was advancing this project, he and his business associates were engaged in buying and selling land in the vicinity over the past 15 months.

Most notably, in February, Morris and his partners sold hundreds of acres to the utility giant Entergy to develop a methane-burning power plant intended to supply electricity for the datacenter.

These land transactions had not been previously disclosed, as per Floodlight's examination of legislative filings, voting records, media coverage, and state senate documentation. The specifics regarding the profit Morris has derived from these deals remain unclear, as Louisiana law does not mandate the public disclosure of sale prices for buyers and sellers.

Experts have expressed concerns that Morris’s actions may constitute a breach of state ethics regulations. These laws prohibit government officials from undertaking official actions that would yield them personal financial benefit, require recusal from votes in the presence of conflicts, and forbid the use of public office for private gain.

Dane Ciolino, a governmental ethics professor at Loyola University New Orleans, stated, "What is particularly concerning is not merely a single vote, but a consistent pattern: facilitating legal authority for a specific land transaction, endorsing substantial tax breaks, lobbying a regulatory body, and discretely positioning personal real estate around the project."

In an interview, Morris refuted allegations of any wrongdoing, asserting that his land holdings are a matter of public record and that the tax incentives he supported were applicable to all datacenters, not just the Meta facility.

"It makes a compelling narrative to suggest that I have some type of conflict," argued Morris. "However, according to Louisiana's ethics laws, I do not."

Entergy and the Hyperion datacenter

In northeastern Louisiana’s Richland Parish, once-arable farmlands are being transformed into an extensive area of concrete and steel.

Hyperion encompasses over 3,650 acres, an area exceeding double the size of the nearby town of Rayville. Once operational, it is projected to utilize over seven times the daily energy consumption of New Orleans.

Despite facing public dissent, state officials, including Morris, have consistently advocated for the project as part of a broader nationwide expansion of datacenters. Since the commencement of construction over a year ago, residents have voiced concerns regarding severe air quality degradation from dust clouds generated by the construction site and incessant traffic caused by heavy commercial vehicles on previously tranquil rural roads.

"Indeed, there are many complaints, and notable numbers of these are from out-of-state individuals," stated Morris. "However, the people in our community are generally supportive of the project." He contended that the anticipated benefits include the creation of high-paying jobs, a heightened tax revenue stream, and financial contributions to the education sector.

Meta has asserted its commitment to fostering a positive influence in Richland Parish, actively working to mitigate traffic impacts on local residents, and investing in local educational institutions, non-profits, and small businesses.

According to a trade publication, it was Entergy—not Meta—that initially proposed the project to state officials, as per Susan Bourgeois, who led negotiations for the state’s economic development agency.

The Louisiana Economic Development (LED) agency released a statement indicating that "any suggestion that Senator Morris improperly influenced LED or any of our projects is simply inaccurate."

Entergy has reported in regulatory filings that Hyperion’s extensive energy needs would necessitate the largest expansion of power plants in its history, which contributes to a 43% boost in its statewide electricity generation capacity, according to the company's president.

Morris, who has deep roots in the area, owns or co-owns approximately two dozen properties spanning over 2,000 acres surrounding the Hyperion site, with at least three parcels bordering the complex, as documented by the Richland Parish assessor's office. Many of these properties have been under his ownership for more than ten years.

"I purchased the property for agricultural purposes and the rental income it would generate. While I hoped for some form of economic development in the future, I certainly did not speculate on it, nor did I anticipate such developments," he commented. "Nobody can predict the future."

As developments unfold in Richland Parish, Morris has been actively acquiring additional properties.

Broadening power, weakening oversight

Since the announcement of the Meta project in December 2024, Morris has acquired seven properties within a five-mile radius of the datacenter, along with a 165-acre parcel approximately 10 miles southwest.

The chronology of these land deals illustrates a concerning overlap between his official responsibilities and personal business affiliations.

In 2024, Morris co-sponsored and voted for a comprehensive bill that, among other provisions, granted LED expanded authority to lease state-owned land.

Nearly twenty years before, the state had purchased a significant parcel from the family of Fred Scott Franklin—Morris's business partner—for a transaction that ultimately fell through with an alternate company. Shortly after the 2024 bill was enacted, LED leveraged this newly acquired authority to lease the land to Meta.

Just four months after Meta finalized the lease, Morris and the Franklins purchased an 80-acre plot directly across from the project site for $1.2 million in cash, with Morris signing the deed in early 2025. Less than two months later, a senate committee on which he serves began considering a bill essential for finalizing the state’s agreement with Meta, which would grant LED the authority to sell state-owned property.

By late April, Morris had co-sponsored and voted in favor of its passage.

In early May, Morris and the Franklins commenced monetizing the property in a somewhat immediate manner by converting it into a dirt quarry intended for use on the Meta construction site, as stated by Morris to Floodlight.

Three months following the enactment of the second bill, LED sold the property that Meta had been leasing, located only a short distance from Morris's own land.

The series of events raises significant ethical inquiries, according to La Koshia Roberts, a former chair and currently the longest-serving member of the Louisiana Board of Ethics, which oversees potential ethical violations by government officials.

"The fact that he did not recuse himself from voting is a major concern for me," Roberts commented.

"When elected officials draft proposed legislation that they know will benefit them financially, it constitutes an issue. When they proceed with knowledge of this and do not disclose their interests, even to their legislative body or committee, it becomes problematic."

During these legislative meetings, which concerned a substantial reform of the state's economic development agency, Morris did not reveal his interests concerning the state's leading economic development endeavor.

"A considerable number of my colleagues are aware that I own land in Richland Parish, some of which adjoins the Meta site," Morris acknowledged to Floodlight. "However, no, I did not officially publicize it or document it. There was no requirement for me to do so, nor do I see why it would be necessary."

Under Louisiana's governmental ethics code, officials with substantial financial interests in proceedings are obligated to recuse themselves from voting and disclose their interests during discussions.

"Morris should not have cast a vote on this matter," Roberts asserted.

Morris maintained that the bills he co-sponsored were not intended for any specific datacenter, asserting that although he supported them, he was not involved in their drafting.

"The LED bills formed part of a broader restructuring initiative pushed by Secretary Bourgeois. I had no knowledge that any of those measures were necessary for Meta's development," he stated.

According to Ciolino, the ethics expert at Loyola, Morris’s strongest defense rests on the assertion that the bills and tax incentives were broadly applicable to all datacenters and not exclusive to the Meta project.

"That is significant," he noted. "However, it does not close the discussion."

The critical question is whether Morris held a financial interest in this matter that exceeded that of a general segment of individuals. A senator possessing dozens of nearby parcels, co-owning adjacent land, supplying dirt for the project, and subsequently selling land to Entergy for a power plant possesses an economic stake that is far more particularized than that of the average resident or even ordinary landowners in the locality.

Old friends, new deals

Morris articulated that he shares a longstanding friendship with his business partners, the Franklins, claiming they have been friends since childhood.

Together, they own multiple properties, including the one directly across from Meta. The Franklins have transferred at least $200,000 to Morris since 2015 as part of a mutual enterprise leasing out farmland, as disclosed in Morris's financial records and confirmed by Fred Scott Franklin Jr. The Franklin family has also contributed over $15,000 toward Morris's electoral campaigns over the past 16 years, as per state campaign finance data.

Franklin Jr. often represents his family during media engagements and business functions. He affirmed that Morris and the Franklin family share a close relationship and a long-standing history of purchasing and jointly owning properties, frequently leasing them for agricultural uses.

He denied that Morris was instrumental in negotiating with Meta. "I firmly disagree with the notion that Jay Morris was actively engaged in securing Meta for Richland Parish. I do not believe that’s an accurate assessment," Franklin Jr. asserted. "He holds no more responsibility for it than any other legislator who supported the sales tax exemption."

The Franklin family is among the most substantial local beneficiaries of the Meta project, possessing nearly all the land on which the datacenter is presently being constructed. State officials designated the property as the "Franklin Farms Megasite," and Entergy has referred to the associated power plants as Franklin Farms Power Stations.

During a press event in December 2024, marking the collaboration between Entergy and Meta, Fred Scott Franklin Jr. was present, ceremonially holding a shovel. Morris was also in attendance and prominently featured in a promotional video that Entergy shared on Instagram to celebrate the event.

"This undertaking, facilitated by Meta and Entergy, will deliver jobs and spur economic development to a region that has long needed it," Morris commented in the video.

Morris claimed not to recall being filmed, stating he was unaware of the video's existence and had not received any payment from Entergy for being involved.

Lobbying a regulator

To initiate the construction of three new gas-fired power plants to support the Hyperion project, along with approximately 100 miles of high-voltage transmission lines, Entergy sought an essential approval from the Louisiana Public Service Commission.

On August 20, 2025, before the commission voted 4-1 to endorse Entergy's $3.2 billion proposal, Commissioner Jean-Paul Coussan publicly acknowledged that Morris had personally lobbied him for approval of the facilities.

"I also received communications from Senator Jay Morris, who represents the northeastern region, in support of this initiative," Coussan stated.

A month after the commission's decision, Morris and the Franklins executed agreements to sell nearly 300 acres to Entergy for one of the methane-burning power plants envisioned for Hyperion. They had co-owned this land for approximately 15 years preceding the sale.

Coussan, a Republican, previously served alongside Morris in the state legislature before his election to the commission in 2024. Morris characterized him as a friend and oscillated between denying direct outreach to Coussan, being "pretty sure I didn't even talk to him," and acknowledging he "probably did talk to him some." In a later email, he conceded: "I’m sure we likely discussed it."

Coussan clarified that any discussions he had with Morris were part of his responsibilities as a commissioner. He also stated he became aware of Morris's land transactions only after being contacted by Floodlight.

"No, we had no discussions regarding his property, nor do I think it was pertinent to my deliberations," Coussan affirmed. "I genuinely do not understand the nature of the story."

Entergy Louisiana explained that it "obtained two parcels near the planned facility that provide access to vital infrastructure, including electric transmission lines, natural gas supplies, and transportation routes. The location was selected partly for these advantages, as well as its proximity to the customer site, which had been under state ownership for more than 20 years."

Morris emphasized that his land holdings are recorded publicly in his annual financial disclosures. However, his most recent disclosure dates back to 2024, complicating the understanding of his land transactions over the past two years.

Moreover, he clarified that he did not share the details of his negotiations with Entergy to Coussan before the vote.

"I am confident he was unaware that I intended to sell any land to Entergy because I was operating under a non-disclosure agreement, thus I could not disclose anything to him," Morris stated.

Under Louisiana ethics legislation, the pivotal issue is not whether he could discuss the negotiation but whether he should have revealed his personal financial interests to the regulator during the conversation.

Morris also transferred rights of way to Entergy across four other properties he owns to enable the construction of transmission lines and, in some cases, to establish access roads and lay water, sewer, and other utility lines.

The specific compensation that Entergy allocated to Morris for these properties and rights of way remains undisclosed—neither he nor Franklin provided information regarding the values of their land transactions when prompted. However, it is essential to recognize that increasing property values due to such developments elevate the costs that companies like Entergy must cover to acquire land for infrastructure ventures. Under state law, the legal principle of "just compensation" requires Entergy to provide a payment amount that reflects the value of the land.

Property values adjacent to the datacenter have surged significantly since the announcement of the project.

"I would argue that just compensation is markedly different now than it was prior to all these developments," Franklin Jr. explained.

In connection with another law enacted during the same year, which Morris supported, the approximate $12 million the state accrued from selling land to Meta is reinvested into a special fund controlled by LED, which can allocate these resources towards similar economic development initiatives statewide.

The Meta project represents the first of several similar endeavors underway through LED, utilizing the statutory authority that Morris endorsed.

In recent years, critics have indicated that Louisiana's legislature has weakened ethics laws, as noted by Roberts. Consequently, she emphasized that "it is increasingly crucial for the public to be vigilant about potential unethical or questionable actions and to demand higher standards from their elected officials."

When questioned about the allegations that his conduct may have breached ethics regulations, Morris stated, "They are mistaken. I would surmise that anyone you consulted likely holds a bias against me or my actions. However, if they feel my behavior warrants scrutiny, they are free to submit a complaint to the ethics board, which I am certain will amount to nothing.

"But if they perceive this as egregious, why haven’t they filed a complaint against me?"