Amazon to Invest $75M in First Illinois Facility

By Ioana Neamt, Associate Editor

Amazon.com, Inc., together with Illinois state officials, recently revealed plans to develop the company’s first facility in The Prairie State. The Seattle-based company will soon start site selection activities and intends to open the new distribution center next year, according to a news release. Amazon’s new facility is also expected to bring more than 1,000 jobs and $75 million in investment to the state of Illinois.

“With our top-notch transportation network and skilled workforce, Illinois has much to offer innovative companies seeking to expand their operations, especially those, like Amazon, seeking to better serve their customers in the most populous state in the Midwest,” U.S. Senator Dick Durbin said in a news release.

Amazon plans to create more than 1,000 new full-time jobs in Illinois by 2017, and will start hiring next year. Full-time employees of the company are eligible for comprehensive benefits including healthcare, 401(k) with 50 percent match, stock, bonuses, competitive wages and innovative programs such as Career Choice.

“We thank Governor Quinn and Senator Durbin for their leadership, and we’re thrilled to create in Illinois more than 1,000 full-time jobs and $75 million in investment,” said Paul Misener, Amazon vice president, global public policy. “The state of Illinois has an excellent workforce and we’re excited to roll up our sleeves and find the right locations, break ground, and start hiring.”

Amazon.com, Inc. would be required to collect and remit state sales taxes for its new property just like any other retailer, according to information collected by the Chicago Tribune. Vice President Paul Misener also stated that Amazon intends to develop a number of facilities in the state, and is looking into sites in the Chicago area.

Amazon’s latest announcement is meant to emphasize the fact that the economy of Illinois is recovering well after the recession. Recent data collected by Marcus and Millichap shows that the state’s unemployment rate fell from 9.2 percent to 6.7 percent in one year, the largest year-over-year decline since 1984.

Logo courtesy of Amazon.com, Inc.

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