Amazon opening Charlotte distribution center

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One of the world's biggest online retailers has just put a major footprint in Charlotte.

That could mean lots of new jobs for our area but Amazon is not saying how many.

The enormous warehouse on Old Dowd Road near the Charlotte Douglas airport is nearly 400,000 square feet of merchandise space.

At the construction entrance, the Amazon name and logo are visible on temporary signs at the property in west Charlotte.

Those signs are about the only signal the retail giant is making such a big investment in the area.

Channel 9 learned the new Charlotte location will be a part of the Amazon Prime Air service.

Amazon is converting Boeing 767s to ship deliveries across the country, even faster for customers.

That will bring more air traffic to the airport.

Other areas nearby, including Greenville, and Spartanburg, put in bids for the service but they lost out to Charlotte.

City Councilman James Mitchell called it's a big win for the area, thanks to the airport.

"When you have an important asset like Charlotte Douglas International Airport... it helps the city of Charlotte grow, and this is a prime example," Mitchell said.

The company has been building quietly, with no fanfare and no major announcement.

It was a similar case when Amazon opened its other major distribution center in Concord where hundreds of people work. There was no big announcement from Amazon.

Mitchell said what matters most is that the company is there.

"We have to respect the corporation's decision to do that. We just want to welcome them, and we're so glad that they're here. Between the jobs, between having another company. The timing is right for us," he said.

Mitchell is taking a tour of the new warehouse next week.

Officials with Amazon did not return calls for comment on Tuesday.

Cox Media Group