Amazon announces Fresno fulfillment center

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Amazon packages on the porch are a common site, and in a year or so tons of them will be shipped right out of Fresno. The company confirmed the long rumored plans it will build a fulfillment center, or warehouse, and shipping operation at an industrial park site near Orange and Central in Southeast Fresno.

Mayor Lee Brand said it is great news, "This is the future of Fresno."

Brand credits the city's incentive package with helping to land the operation.

"The biggest one was performance based incentives. You bring a thousand plus jobs you get X amount of dollars on rebate, reduction on your sales tax, and property tax."

Amazon is expected to hire about 1,500 workers, at hourly wages starting at around $15 an hour, with benefits. Construction will take about a year in this industrial park where other major companies are already locating, and Leann Eager of the Fresno County Economic Development Corporation says more are expected.

"We have four right now in the pipeline that are looking at us in addition to Amazon. We have one actually that's bigger than Amazon."

Eager and Brand agree the city's central location, access to major transportation routes, and size are paying off.

"The things we have been preaching for a long time, people have finally been listening," said Eager.

In addition to e-commerce warehouses and distribution centers Fresno is believed to be the first choice for a High-Speed Rail maintenance facility which will lead to expansion of the industrial area adjacent to the distribution sites and more jobs.

"Fresno is on the map for jobs in the United States," said Brand.

The Amazon Fulfillment Center will primarily ship books, children's toys, and small electronics from the Fresno center. The company has three in the North Valley, in Tracy and Patterson, and is building another in Sacramento-- there are six in Southern California.

The Fresno operation should open in about a year.

To learn more about working at an Amazon fulfillment center, visit www.amazondelivers.jobs