DALLAS -- Amazon.com wants to open a new distribution center in Southern Dallas that would create hundreds of new jobs.
The online retailer is seeking a tax abatement from Dallas County for property and equipment before deciding whether to move, according to the request filed in the Dallas County Commissioners' Court agenda.
Construction is already underway on a 500,000 square foot facility on J. J. Lemmon Road near the I-45/I-20 interchange. The building is the project of Trammel Crow.
In its request, Amazon.com promises the distribution center would create between 500 and 900 jobs. The average salary for positions would be at least $30,000 according to the filing, which county officials say is 10 percent to 15 percent higher than the average salary for other distribution centers.
A project is only eligible for a tax abatement if it boosts the county's tax base by at least $5 million and creates at least 100 jobs. Amazon's facility would boost the tax base by approximately $17 million, according to the filing.
Given the seasonal nature of Amazon's business, the retailer's tax abatement would be on a sliding scale, the county said, ranging from 50 percent to 75 percent depending on how many employees are hired.
If approved, Amazon's distribution center in Southern Dallas would be for smaller items. The facility would be Amazon's fourth in North Texas. The retailer already has fulfillment centers in Coppell, Irving and Haslet.
