Amazon to build large distribution facility in Spokane
Amazon confirmed Friday plans to open a 600,000-square-foot fulfillment center near Spokane International Airport.
It will be the online retailer’s first such center in eastern Washington and will create more than 1,500 jobs with benefits on the day it opens, said a news release.
The fulfillment center, an 80-acre project, will be constructed on Geiger Boulevard on the West Plains, and will house merchandise to be packaged and shipped for customer orders. It is expected to open in late 2019.
Greater Spokane Incorporated, the area’s business development organization, announced that in collaboration with other business partners, it has been working over the past two years to capture the company’s attention.
“Amazon will be one of the largest businesses in the Spokane region, with an anticipated 1,800 to 3,000 new jobs. It’s significant for the Spokane community to be home to a company that is in the top 10 list of Fortune 500 companies,” said Todd Mielke, CEO, Greater Spokane Incorporated, in a prepared statement. “This is good news for Spokane. We extend a warm welcome to them and look forward to demonstrating why this region is a great place to locate a business. Hopefully they will consider this region for other Amazon business functions.”
Amazon employees at the new facility will work alongside Amazon Robotics to pick, pack and ship items to customers such as games, housewares, school supplies and pet toys.
“We’re excited to open a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Spokane and to continue innovating in our home state,” said Mark Stewart, Amazon’s vice president of North America Customer Fulfillment. “Washington is known for providing great opportunities for jobs and customer experience, and we are grateful to the dedicated local and state officials and teams who came together to support Amazon in bringing a new fulfillment center to Eastern Washington.”
The project is being developed by Trammell Crow Company.
“The West Plains/Airport Area PDA (Public Development Authority) enabled the public-private partnership necessary to make this site work for our newest corporate partner,” said Larry Krauter, Chairman of the West Plains/Airport Area PDA. “The West Plains/Airport Area PDA is committed to Amazon’s long-term success as we view their project as the first in a series of developments that will benefit from the unique combination of air, rail and surface transportation infrastructure with available land in the airport area.”
Amazon offers full-time employees health insurance, disability insurance, 401(k) and company stock awards beginning the first day of employment. The company supports employees’ education endeavors by pre-paying up to 95 percent of the cost of courses related to in-demand fields. The tuition pre-payment program is not contingent on the skills being related to a career at Amazon.
Employment opportunities at the Spokane fulfillment center will be posted on amazondelivers.jobs.