Amazon today announced it will open another $110 million fulfillment center in Kansas City, Kansas.
Amazon announced two new facilities for Kansas today, one in Kansas City, Kansas, and the other in Park City, Kansas, a suburban area of Wichita. Together, they will create at least 1,000 new jobs in Kansas, according to the announcement.
While the address of the new building was not mentioned at an online news conference, the new facility here will be at the former Woodlands horse and dog racing facility at 9700 Leavenworth Road, according to a news release sent out by Amazon. The new facilities will launch in 2021, according to the news release.
Mark Marzano, director of operations for Amazon, said during the news conference that Amazon workers at the new facility will pick, pack and ship bulky and larger-sized customer items, including outdoor equipment, patio furniture and rugs. The jobs will have full health benefits, and also vision coverage, he said. Amazon has created more than 4,500 jobs in Kansas since 2010, according to Marzano.
Each of the facilities will be about 1 million square feet, according to Amazon officials.
Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor David Alvey said during the statewide online news conference with Gov. Laura Kelly Friday morning that the new facility would have more than 750 jobs. Amazon officials confirmed that each new facility would have 500 or more new jobs.
The announcement is important because Kansas City, Kansas, has a population that is looking for jobs, Mayor Alvey said.
“In all these economic development projects, we are simply trying to expand our tax base, so we can provide more revenues and services to our residents and also to help us take pressures off property taxes,” Mayor Alvey said. “This is an awesome announcement that Amazon is coming to Kansas City, Kansas.”
They were able to track improvements in household median incomes from projects like this, he said.
The logistics in Kansas City, Kansas, are excellent with I-35 and I-70 and other highways that link to them, he said. Kansas City, Kansas, has an excellent work force who know how to work and to be at work, he said.
As they move out of COVID-19, these facilities are important as industries are shifting to logistics, he said.
Mayor Alvey pointed out that no economic incentives were asked for or applied for in this latest Amazon project here. There will be an immediate boost to the revenues of the county, city and school districts, he said. It is important for the community to grow its tax base to improve the quality of life for residents, he said.
The available jobs will start at a minimum of $15 an hour, according to Amazon officials.
“Today’s Amazon announcement further proves why Kansas can offer prospective businesses the kind of workforce, infrastructure, and central location that can compete with anywhere in the country,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “This project will bring more than 1,000 good-paying jobs and significant capital investment to our state and sends a clear message to prospective companies – Kansas is open for business.”
Officials from Wichita, Park City and Sedgwick County also were part of the news conference, along with Amazon officials, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, the Kansas secretary of commerce and the governor.
“This truly is an exciting day for Kansas, as we celebrate a tremendous economic development win for our state,” Secretary David Toland said. “Even for a huge company like Amazon, announcing two facilities in one day is extraordinary.”
“This partnership with Amazon will bring more than a thousand new, quality jobs to Kansas, and I have no doubt Amazon will greatly benefit from the talented workforce available in Kansas City, Park City and Wichita,” U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran said. “I recently visited Amazon’s current facility in Kansas City to see their operation first-hand, and I am pleased to see companies like Amazon continue to bring jobs to Kansas, opening up new opportunities for further economic growth and expansion.”
UG spokesman Mike Taylor confirmed the location is at the former Woodlands racetrack at 97th and Leavenworth Road. The Amazon building will be where the former horse track was located.
The development has been moving through the UG’s planning and zoning process. A full industrial park with office buildings is planned, and there also are plans for retail space at the site, according to the UG.
Scannell is paying the UG $2 million for frontage land that the local government owns along the fringes of the Woodlands’ property, Taylor stated. The developer also is donating land on the other side of the property, close to Wyandotte County Lake, for walking trails. There are no tax abatements or incentives involved in the project.
The governor’s news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/686745025279743.
The Amazon news release is at https://press.aboutamazon.com/news-releases/news-release-details/amazon-announces-two-new-fulfillment-centers-kansas
Gov. Kelly’s news release is at https://governor.kansas.gov/governor-laura-kelly-announces-1000-new-jobs-in-kansas-city-park-city/.
For an earlier story, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/woodlands-redevelopment-project-approved-by-ug-commission/.
Will they have secretarial type jobs for older and disabled Wyco residents? If so how do we apply? What about younger disabled such as autistic who are physically able but just have some problems mentally?