This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Tim Allen, whose family opened Holy Tacos in Rayville, Louisiana, in April 2025. Construction for Meta’s largest-ever AI data center is underway in Holly Ridge, an unincorporated community about 10 miles from Rayville.
Rayville has been a small community my whole life, and it’s been in decline over the last several years.
We have a lot of people whose children are moving out, and they usually don’t come back. Growing up, downtown Rayville had multiple businesses, hardware stores, and clothing stores. One by one, they shut down until only a couple of stores were left.
Since Meta’s…
