Amazon to open packing, shipping site in north Mississippi

Amazon will open a center in northern Mississippi to pack and ship orders, creating 850 jobs that pay at least $15 an hour.

The company and Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant announced the project Friday, though they did not say when the consumer goods fulfillment center in Marshall County is expected to open. The jobs are to be created over three years.

Amazon is updating an existing 554,000-square-foot (51,468-sqare-meter) building in the Chickasaw Trails Industrial Park in Holly Springs, about 27 miles (43 kilometers) southeast of Memphis International Airport in Tennessee.

"We appreciate the state and local elected leaders who have supported Amazon's entrance into Mississippi and we look forward to providing great job opportunities and an exceptional customer experience," John Felton, Amazon's vice president of global customer fulfillment, said in a news release.

Mississippi Development Authority is providing a $2 million grant for building costs and a $4 million grant for road improvements. Marshall County is providing assistance for road improvements and a property tax exemption worth about $6.3 million. Tennessee Valley Authority is also assisting.

"Amazon's presence demonstrates to industry leaders around the globe that Mississippi has what it takes for companies like Amazon to remain competitive and efficiently reach their consumers from our attractive location in the Southeast U.S.," Bryant said in the release.