JOHN E. SETTLE JR.
The announcement of the construction in Shreveport of an Amazon Fulfillment Center is great economic news for northwest Lousiana.
The Amazon decision to build in Shreveport was certainly not an overnight decision.
The Louisiana Economic Development office (LED) and its economic partners began formal discussions with Amazon about a potential Shreveport fulfillment center in August 2020.
To secure the project, the state of Louisiana offered the company a competitive incentage package that includes the comprehensive workforce solutions of LED FastStart, the nation’s No. 1 workforce training and talent education program.
To offset the infrastructure costs, Amazon will be eligible for a $5 million performancebased grant payable in two installments during 2022 and 2023.
In addition the Caddo Parish Industrial Development Board is negotiating a payment in lieu of taxes, or PILOT, agreement with the company.
The location in Hunter Industrial Park was approved as an LED-certified site in 2020.
LED-certified sites are developmentready industrial sites that have completed a rigorous review process by LED and an independent, third-party engineering firm.
Specific site details, such as zoning restrictions, title work, environmental studies, soil analysis and surveys, are assessed for compliance and authenticity.
Major companies like Amazon only consider certified sites as a part of their site selection criteria.
The LED website lists these sites throughout the state. Most of these are south of I-10.
Adding more certified cites in Northwest Louisiana to the LED inventory is critical to future investment by national/global companies like Amazon.
THIS ARTICLE WAS PUBLISHED IN THE May 14 ISSUE OF FOCUS SB - THE INQUISITOR.