Amazon to Open 500,000-Square-Foot Warehouse in Illinois
evadedave/FlickrAmazon.com Inc. plans to open a 500,000-square-foot warehouse in Joliet, Illinois, that will employ about 1,000 people.
The fulfillment center is the company’s first in the state. It received a 10-year tax break from Illinois in exchange for its $40 million investment in the warehouse, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Amazon had avoided having a physical presence in Illinois so that it could sidestep sales taxes, relying on massive warehouses in Indiana and Wisconsin to serve the Chicago area, according to the paper.
“We are grateful for the support of local and state leadership in helping to bring Amazon to Illinois, and we look forward to being an active member of the community,” Mike Roth, Amazon’s vice president of North America operations, said in a statement.
Employees at the fulfillment center will process smaller items, such as books, electronics and consumer goods, according to the company.
“The company is the leader in logistics innovation and technology," John Greuling, CEO of the Will County Center for Economic Development, said in a statement. “We welcome Amazon to Joliet and Will County, and look forward to a long successful partnership.”
