Business Facilities - July 2008 - (Page 39)

residents and businesses of the development,” says Edward V. Giannasca II, president and chief executive officer of Giannasca Development Group LLC. “We plan to recruit from the local workforce creating new job opportunities during construction. As each phase of the project is completed employment opportunities will continue to grow with the opening of new restaurants, shops and businesses. New positions will staff the public park, and recreational and entertainment facilities along the river. This will be the beginning of an exciting new era.” AMAZON’S JOB-CREATING ENGINE IN HAZLETON Amazon.com, Inc., the largest online retailer, recently announced that it has chosen Hazleton, PA as the site for its newest fulfillment center, which will create more than 1,100 jobs within the next three years. “Not only will this project result in more than a thousand new jobs for hard-working Pennsylvanians, but those jobs—along with the large amount of private investment—will provide ancillary benefits for the entire region,” says Governor Rendell. “This is the type of project that could have happened literally anywhere in the U.S., and Amazon’s renewed commitment to Pennsylvania attests to our strong pro-business climate.” Amazon.com’s Hazleton facility will occupy more than 600,000 square feet in the Humboldt Industrial Park, and represent a total project investment of more than $20 million. The Seattle online retailer will also employ more than 800 parttime workers during peak seasons. “The Hazleton facility will play an important role in allowing us to serve our customers in the Northeast U.S. more quickly and efficiently ,and we’re excited to be opening our fifth facility in Pennsylvania,” says Mike McKenna, Amazon’s vice president of North American fulfillment. The commonwealth offered Amazon.com a funding package that included a $1.25-million opportunity grant and $500,000 in job training programs. The company’s project was coordinated through the Governor’s Action Team, economic development professionals who serve as a single point-of-contact for businesses that are considering locating or expanding in Pennsylvania. “This project is evidence that more and more global companies are finding Greater Hazleton’s location and workforce ideal for industry and logistics. In the past three years alone we have been able to attract giants like Amazon, Coca-Cola, Archer Daniels Midland and AutoZone,” says Kevin O’Donnell, president of CAN DO, Inc., Greater Hazleton’s economic development agency. O’Donnell also praises the Governor’s Action Team for its role in bringing Amazon to Hazleton. “Governor Rendell and his team are constantly working to bring leads to our area and the financial incentives they put together make it possible for our agency to continue to attract new companies to our parks,” he says. Welcome home. • ton Bos lo uffa •B k Yor ew • N wark e •N d lan leve •C g din Rea 1 hia elp lad Phi • gh bur s itts mile •P 100 s mile 200 re mo alti •B on ngt shi Wa • ond olk ichm • Norf •R Whether you’re locating a new business, expanding an existing business or searching for a new site, welcome. A prominent site selector calls Greater Reading “an East Coast hidden jewel.” No wonder, with a solid workforce, excellent quality of life, a thriving community and a prime location with over 100 million people within an overnight drive. YOUR PARTNER IN BUSINESS GROWTH. Greater Reading and Berks County, PA | 610.376.4237 | www.goBEP.com #0911 at www.BusinessFacilities.com BUSINESS FACILITIES Ad made possible in part by the Berks County Commissioners, private industry and foundations. 39 d• tfor Har http://amazon.com http://amazon.com http://www.goBEP.com http://www.goBEP.com http://www.BusinessFacilities.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Business Facilities - July 2008

Business Facilities - July 2008 Contents First Word Snapshots Corporate Moves: New York The 2008 Business Facilities Rankings Report 2008 Rankings: Biotech Blasts Off 2008 Rankings: Green with Envy 2008 Rankings: Warm Climate for Business Nanotech Looms Large in Pennsylvania Metro Spotlight: Inland Empire, CA Food Processing Sites: Providing Sustenance as Well as Nutrition Sale-Leasebacks: Easing the Credit Crunch Corporate Moves: Georgia Metro Spotlight: Albuquerque, NM Advertiser Index Inside LiveXchange

Business Facilities - July 2008

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