NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Online retail giant Amazon is bringing a new operation with 500 full-time jobs to North Little Rock.
City officials announced Thursday morning that Amazon will be building a 1-million square-foot distribution facility on Highway 70, set to open next year.
In addition to the 500 full-time jobs, Amazon officials said they hope to fill up to 1,000 total jobs.
Mayor Joe Smith believes the new facility shows North Little Rock’s “our business friendly environment and our excellent workforce.”
“This is an exciting capstone project to my eight years as Mayor,” Smith said in a release. “One of my goals when I became Mayor was to continue to raise our profile as a city that businesses want to invest in, I believe we have left the groundwork for our next Mayor to continue make North Little Rock a great place to live, work and play.”
A release from Amazon outlined that the facility will focus on larger items like patio furniture, outdoor equipment, and rugs.
The company also touted its $15 per hour minimum wages and benefits packages that include full medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as a 401(k) with 50 percent match starting from their first day of employment.
The state is also investing $2 million through a fund created by the Arkansas Department of Transportation to improve roads around the future site.
Governor Asa Hutchinson also pointed out that there was involvement in the project with Central Arkansas Water, Entergy Arkansas, and Center-Point Energy.
Hutchinson thinks the location of the new operation and the workers available in the area will make it a success.
“North Little Rock’s dedicated workforce and central location make it a perfect selection for Amazon’s newest distribution center,” he said. “I’m delighted that Amazon has once again decided to invest in Central Arkansas, creating job opportunities for hundreds of Arkansans, and I’m confident that North Little Rock will be a perfect fit for the company’s project.”
In the social media post, Smith thanked city hall, the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, the Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission for helping pave the way for the project on the local level.
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