The announcement this week that Amazon will build a $ 100 million distribution center in Fort Wayne appears to be exactly what the city has ordered: a large-scale project from an established and stable company that will include nearly 1,000 jobs at full-time.

The huge online retailer confirmed on Monday what had been rumored for weeks – that it was behind plans for a 634,000 square foot structure at 5510 Flaugh Road near Washington Center Road and in the US 30 on the side. northwest of town. Project Mastodon – the codename the project was known by because nondisclosure agreements kept many details hidden – is now officially a fulfillment center where goods will be packaged for shipment to Amazon customers.

Plans call for an opening next year, and company officials say Amazon will offer jobs paying at least $ 15 an hour, which will include attractive benefits like health insurance and paid time off. The annual payroll is expected to be $ 30 million.

Amazon’s latest company in the city is the third, with a delivery station and distribution center already in place near the Fort Wayne International Airport. It’s a positive sign that local leaders continue to work to bring business and jobs to the region, and that the company – the third largest in the world, according to GlobalFinance.com – sees Fort Wayne as an attractive place to. to do business.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today with this significant investment without a strong partnership with Amazon and the leadership of the City of Fort Wayne Community Development Division and the Fort Wayne Redevelopment Commission,” said Mayor Tom Henry in a statement.

“I also appreciate and appreciate the approvals the project has received from the Fort Wayne Planning Commission and Fort Wayne City Council.

The company’s motives are naturally not entirely altruistic, and the city has also invested in securing Amazon’s business.

In March, city council members approved a $ 16 million tax break for Amazon, and the land the project sits on sits in a tax raise funding district. FITs capture the tax revenue generated in this area, which can then be used for improvements in the district.

Amazon has spent more than $ 350 billion in the United States on construction and employee compensation since 2010, according to its website. More than $ 11.9 billion of that is in Indiana, where it says it has created more than 20,000 jobs and added at least $ 10.6 billion to the state’s gross domestic product.

The company operates a wind farm and five Whole Foods Market stores in Indiana, as well as distribution centers in Greenfield, Greenwood, Indianapolis, Jeffersonville, Plainfield and Whitestown.

The local operation will be the first to use “innovative and advanced robotic technology,” according to a press release, and workers will pack and ship items, including books and electronics.

“This (Fort Wayne facility) is great news from a global company that continues to recognize Indiana as a premier destination for job creation and investment,” said Jim Staton, Secretary to Indiana Interim Trade, in a statement.

The city has done its due diligence and helped bring about a solid project that should benefit the region and its workers. Now it’s up to Amazon to deliver the goods.