Amazon to open distribution center in St. Cloud, create hundreds of new jobs

Amazon plans to open a distribution center in St. Cloud this year and create hundreds of new jobs.

St. Cloud Mayor Dave Kleis says Amazon has purchased a vacant building and land near Interstate 94 and expects to be hiring later this year. Kleis says he doesn’t know exactly how many jobs will be available, but that Amazon has told the city it will be in the hundreds.

"We’re excited to continue our investment in the state of Minnesota with the addition of a new delivery station and Amazon Hub Locker+ in St. Cloud. This new delivery station will provide fast and efficient delivery for customers, with the added benefit of an additional free, secure, and convenient pickup and returns location," according to D. Nikki Wheeler, a spokesperson for Amazon.

Wheeler says the site is expected to open sometime this year.

Amazon has been building its presence in Minnesota over the past five years. It opened a nearly 1-million-square-foot fulfillment center in Shakopee in 2016. From 2010 to 2019, the company says it has invested over $2 billion in the state when taking into account infrastructure and compensation to employees.

Amazon’s main investments in Minnesota include three fulfillment and sortation centers, two delivery stations, one tech hub, one air gateway, seven Whole Foods Market locations and one Prime Now hub.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.