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Amazon spent around $200 million to open distribution center near McGhee Tyson Airport

The building was originally slated to be open in May 2022, but the company delayed its opening to later this year.

BLOUNT COUNTY, Tenn. — Amazon leaders said they spent around $200 million to open a distribution center located near McGhee Tyson Airport, in Blount County.

The building was originally slated to be open in May 2022, but the company delayed its opening to later this year. Jessica Breaux, the senior manager of economic development, said the company is trying to hire around 1,000 more employees. 

"We have more than 1,000 full-time associates. Our capital investment was upwards of $200 million, in the physical structure and the equipment you see on the inside," she said.

She said the company will likely continue hiring employees for the foreseeable future and certainly would continue hiring employees through the end of the year. Warehouse associates at the location generally make up to $17 per hour, according to Amazon's website.

They are responsible for handling inventory, preparing customer orders, loading boxes into trucks and other warehouse duties. According to a March 2021 video by Amazon, the average wage in the company was $18 per hour.

Breaux said the company had spent around two years working to start developing the center before the company was able to announce it was being built. She said Amazon received support from the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

She also said Amazon is trying to connect with the Blount County community as its center gets up and running.

"So, we certainly partner with local organizations. We will have partnerships and are certainly working on partnerships with the United Way of Blount County as well as the Imagination Library of Blount County. So, we're super-excited to see where both of those programs go," she said.

She also said employees at the facility can participate in "affinity groups," which connect employees across different regions and facilities under certain causes and affiliations. The company offers 13 affinity groups, such as "Glamazon" and "Women at Amazon."

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