Amazon To Build New Facility In Colorado, Hire 1,500 Workers
THORNTON, Colo. (CBS4) - Amazon's footprint is expanding, once again, into Colorado.
The online retailer says they will begin construction on a facility in Thornton, near Interstate 25 and 144th Avenue. The fulfillment center will focus on small items, like books and electronics.
City leaders believe Thornton was chosen because of location, demand and a workforce.
John Cody is the Economic Development Director for the City of Thornton. He says having a site, ready to develop right on I-25 with an interchange at 144th was a win for Thornton, along with a workforce.
"Having access to a larger workforce that they can pull from for the kind of employees they're looking for," Cody said.
The new facility will bring 1,500 jobs. A robotics sorting system will also pick and pack at the new facility.
This system helps make deliveries fast, according to Amazon's spokeswoman Ashley Robinson.
"That enables us to fill customer orders faster with more inventory selections, and that means we have to hire more people to keep up with demand," Robinson said.
Amazon will hire full-time, hourly jobs and it is coming to Thornton based on customer demands, according to Cody.
"It's because of the population concentration in Denver that they're building this here, to serve this population more," he said.
The City of Thornton says the new facility has the goal of fulfilling 1 million packages a day. Trammell Crow Company will build the 855,000 square foot site, but the building will have three floors, making it a 2.4 million square foot fulfillment center.
The anticipated opening date is August 2018.
Jennifer Brice is a reporter with CBS4 focusing on crime and courts. Follow her on Facebook or on Twitter @CBS4Jenn.
