Despite the difficult economic times, Amazon will open a fulfillment center in Sarpy County where Nebraska 50 and Highway 370 intersect near Papillion. The 700,000-square-foot center will combine human workers with robot assistants to fill orders for delivery.
David Black is the mayor of Papillion and said Amazon will offer $15 minimum wage jobs with comprehensive benefits.
“A thousand jobs at that range that's got about a $204 million economic impact on the Omaha metro in Nebraska so that’s a big impact,” Black said.
Black said it makes sense for Amazon to make the decision as Sarpy County has done work with Facebook, Google, and other national providers. He said Papillion has actually been opening more small local businesses during the pandemic instead of closing them.
“I think one of the things that shows is people want to start doing business in their local communities and not going out," Black said.
Mayor Black said construction has already started and Amazon wants to open the new distribution center by 2021.