Amazon chooses Rapides Parish for new distribution facility
Online retail giant Amazon has announced it is entering into an agreement for a new last-mile facility in the Town of Boyce in Rapides Parish.
BOYCE, La. (WNTZ) – Online retail giant Amazon has announced it is entering into an agreement for a new last-mile facility in the Town of Boyce in Rapides Parish.
The new facility will be approximately 65,000 square feet located along Hwy. 1, off of Rapides Station Road, according to a news release from Louisiana Central, the regional economic development organization.
Launch plans for this delivery station are in the very early stages but construction is scheduled to start in the coming weeks, according to Jessica Breaux, senior manager of economic development for Amazon.
“This last mile facility will allow us to better serve customers in Central Louisiana,” Breaux said. “We’re grateful for our partnership with the town of Boyce, Rapides Parish, and the economic development team at Louisiana Central that have helped make this happen. We look forward to sharing more details about this facility and the good jobs we’ll offer in the future.”
Joe Bishop, President of the Rapides Parish Police Jury, said the parish is excited to welcome this multinational technology company to Rapides Parish.
“We are grateful that companies like Amazon see the benefits of locating here, and we appreciate the investment being made that will impact the entire region," Bishop said. "We are excited to have been part of making this happen and we will continue to do everything we can to make the project successful.”
According to the release, the online retailer employs more than one million employees worldwide throughout several global fulfillment centers, retail locations, data centers, corporate offices, tech hubs and headquarters locations. Most hourly employees in customer fulfillment and transportation earn between $17 and $28 per hour, according to the company. Jobs, both full-time and part-time, will be offered closer to the facility’s operational launch, as well as further details regarding career opportunities.
“This announcement means so much to the town of Boyce,” Boyce Mayor Kelvin McCoy said. “The job opportunities and the overall financial investment by Amazon in our town will benefit so many of our local residents. We believe our strategic location is a major advantage for these types of operations.”
Jim Clinton, president and CEO of Louisiana Central, said he sees this project and announcement by Amazon as a key to supporting the organization's mission of making Central Louisiana a thriving hub for sustainable economic growth.
“This project is significant for so many reasons,” Clinton said. “Amazon is one of the most recognized brands in the world. The company’s impact on the world’s economy and culture is profound. We are thankful that Amazon has chosen our region to further its growth and impact, and Louisiana Central is grateful to have been part of making this happen for our region. We believe this project, in addition to the recent location of the Lowe’s distribution center adjacent to the future Amazon site, will position us as a key location for distribution and warehousing.”
Danny Bordelon, Rapides Parish Police Juror for District E, which includes the site, agreed.
“I am happy to see this happen for the citizens of my district, but also the town of Boyce, all of Rapides Parish and Central Louisiana," Bordelon said. "This project will have a great ripple effect on our region.”