TAYLOR — State Rep. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor) responded enthusiastically to news that online retailing giant Amazon.com Inc. will invest $140 million to build a regional fulfillment center in Romulus that is expected to create 1,600 new jobs.
“Amazon has shown their confidence in our region as a great place to do business and to find workers with the skills, experience and ability to work hard and be productive,” Rep. Geiss said. “This is the start of what promises to be a long and beneficial relationship between Amazon and our community, and I look forward to seeing this partnership grow.”
The project is made possible through a $5 million grant through the Michigan Economic Development Corp. needed to make improvements to local roads and other infrastructure. Amazon had been considering other Midwestern states as well as Canada for the project.
“Romulus is a natural choice for business growth because of our proximity to Detroit Metro Airport, rail lines and several major interstates,” Rep. Geiss said. “The willingness of the state to work with us only made it easier to convince Amazon that our community is a great place to locate and do business. I can’t wait to see what having an e-commerce leader like Amazon here in Romulus will do for our business community, and I look forward to the future opportunities this will bring.”
The project was announced at a meeting of the Michigan Strategic Fund Board Tuesday attended by numerous community leaders, including Rep. Geiss, state Sen. Hoon-Yung Hopgood (D-Taylor), Romulus Mayor LeRoy Burcroff, Romulus Economic Development Director Tim Keyes and representatives from Amazon, who all spoke in favor of the project.
“When major companies look for a place to build a new facility, we’re not just competing with surrounding cities — we’re competing with surrounding states and other countries,” Rep. Geiss said. “The MEDC gives us the tools we need to compete on a global scale for big projects like these, and to bring these jobs to our community. The MEDC and the state of Michigan helped us convince Amazon that Romulus is a great place to do business, and we’re grateful for their help.”