Amazon Gets Support of OKC Trust

By a 4-0 vote on Tuesday, the city of Oklahoma City Economic Development Trust voted to recommend a $1.7 million incentive to bring an Amazon fulfillment center to the city.

It’s a means of attracting Amazon to the city and the giant corporation’s commitment to create 53 new quality jobs in the coming five years. The decision by the trust was closely followed by Amazon.

“We consider incentives as a material factor whenever we make a location decision,” said Amazon Senior Manager of Economic Development tom Florino who was on hand for the Trust’s decision. “And several metropolitan statistical areas in Midwester and southern states were considered for the project.”

He told the Trust that such a center would employ nearly 1,750 workers. Amazon expects to invest an estimated $146 million in a 640,000-square-foot building at 9201 S. Portland. Such a center would be used as a first stop for “fulfilling” online orders.

The center would hold inventory pulled from shelves and ship it when there is an order from a customer.

But the incentive didn’t come without its opponents.  One was local merchant Morgan Harris, owner of the Green Bambino at 5120 N Shartel.

“I would ask, does Oklahoma City really need to give millions of dollars to a company that’s coming here anyway?”

Harris noted that Amazon has plans to locate a fulfillment center in every major metro area.

The recommendation of the Trust now heads to the city council for consideration.