MONROE, La., Jan. 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL) plans to build a facility that will feature industry-leading technology resources as part of its plan to expand its workforce in Monroe, and the company has selected Yates Construction as the construction management company for the project.

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The CenturyLink Technology Center of Excellence will include technology research and development labs, a network operations center and office and meeting space. In the center, employees and vendors with network technology and IT skills will work together to create innovative products and services for CenturyLink's customers.

The center, which will be located on the north side of CenturyLink's existing headquarters building on Hwy. 165 North in Monroe, will encompass approximately 250,000 square feet, and will accommodate about 800 employees.

"The Technology Center of Excellence will help support our objective of bringing high-quality jobs to Monroe," said CEO and President Glen F. Post, III. "We expect the center to spur innovation, idea generation and problem solving that will benefit our customers, our employees and the communities we serve."

CenturyLink plans to build the facility to meet LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Silver certification requirements.

CenturyLink hopes to break ground on the center in early 2013. It is expected to be completed by the end of 2014, and should be operational in early 2015.

Yates Construction has been in business for almost 50 years and has offices across the U.S. and internationally. With multiple Louisiana offices, Yates will provide local support including an on-site construction executive in Monroe who will manage the contractors required for CenturyLink's expanded facility.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States and is recognized as a leader in the network services market by technology industry analyst firms. The company is a global leader in cloud infrastructure and hosted IT solutions for enterprise customers. CenturyLink provides data, voice and managed services in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers for businesses and consumers. The company also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLink® Prism™ TV and DIRECTV brands. Headquartered in Monroe, La., CenturyLink is an S&P 500 company and is included among the Fortune 500 list of America's largest corporations. For more information, visit www.centurylink.com.

SOURCE CenturyLink, Inc.