Officials announced yesterday that Amazon is building a $200 million distribution center in the Triangle. The center will be located in southeast Wake County in the town of Garner. The center is expected to employee 1,500 – 2,000 people when it opens. This is great news for both the town of Garner and for those seeking employment.
The question on many people’s mind is whether this means that Amazon will be locating its coveted east coast headquarters to the Triangle? Rumor has it that the Triangle is not only on the short list; it is the top choice for both Amazon and a planned expansion by Apple.
I can see why the Triangle would be the top choice because I think it would be easier to relocate 60,000 jobs to Raleigh without negatively affecting our quality of life. There is still room for smart growth in the Triangle including in downtown Raleigh where Amazon prefers to locate. And the area’s infrastructure including its mass transit systems could be greatly improved without huge expenditures.
Only time will tell.