Walmart to Invest $450M in Florida

By IvyLee Rosario

Walmart has announced its $450 million investment plan for the state of Florida. The company intends to expand its 375-facility footprint across the Sunshine State with the opening of nine new stores, creating 800 jobs in the process. 

Furthermore, Walmart will engage in a multimillion-dollar capital investment plan by remodeling more than 40 of its already existing locations. Plans also call for a grand opening of its 150-acre eCommerce distribution center campus in Davenport. The company currently employs more than 550 recently hired associates and is planning to add another 1,000 employees within the next year. Walmart’s investment in the two-building eCommerce Center, comprising more than 2.2 million square feet, reached $300 million.

This year, the company will also break ground on a new distribution center for perishable goods in Cocoa, Fla. Walmart will invest more than $145 million in the 640,000-square-foot facility. Upon completion, the center will employ more than 450 people.

“This year has been an exciting one for Walmart in Florida, and we’ll build on that momentum as we continue to focus on how to better serve our customers through innovation and investments so they can save both time and money,” said Elise Vasquez-Warner, Walmart’s vice president & regional general manager in North Florida, in prepared remarks. “We’ve had a sharp focus on making our store experience second to none and our customers are telling us that our plan is working. Our team is energized and we’re looking forward to exceeding our customer’s expectations for what a great Walmart shopping experience can be like.”

Image courtesy of Walmart