What does Amazon's move to Acadiana mean for the region's economy?

CARENCRO, La. (KLFY)- Amazon associates in the new one-million-square-foot fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship bulky or larger-sized items like the once listed here. It is expected to create hundreds of new jobs for the Acadiana area. It is the company's first fulfillment center in the state.

The company will invest $100 million into the new facility in Carencro. Creating 500 new direct jobs with competitive pay and benefits, and about 980 indirect jobs pertaining to the construction of the facility. That’s more than 1400 jobs total. 
“Company employees have access to innovative programs like career choice. Where we pay up to 95% of tuition for courses related to iN Demand fields regardless of whether the skills are relevant to their career at Amazon," says Mark Marzano the Director of Operations for Amazon. "Since that program's launched more than 25,000 employees across the globe have pursued degrees in-field training from nursing, communications, IT program management, and radiology."

He says Amazon supports small businesses. “In fact more than 14,000 small and medium size businesses and independent authors from the state are growing their businesses and reaching new customers through Amazon,” says Marzano. 
Gregg Gothreaux with the Lafayette Economic Development Authority says, “Amazons decision to locate Louisiana’s first fulfillment center here validates that our community is attractive to companies across sectors because of our work ethic our creativity and our pro business attitude.” 

Located on the former Evangeline downs site in Carencro the fulfillment center will be near I-10 and I-49 giving quick access to much of Lousiana and the rest of the country. 
“For major economic development projects Louisiana’s people truly make a difference. We offer the number one manufacturing workforce in America in terms of productivity," Governor John Bel Edwards said. "That’s certified by the Department of Commerce and we also offer the number one state workforce development program in the United States of America, I’m talking about the LED fast start program.” 

For local officials with the city of Carencro, this is a major development to grow the city.
“The economic impact of this facility cannot be overstated in terms of capital investment, job creation with respect full wages and benefits, and the increase in interest in residential housing development that we're seeing," says Carencro City Manager Don Chauvin. "The most important and exciting part of this whole project is the impact it’s going to have on Carencro’s job market. The creation of those thousand-plus jobs filled by people of all walks in the area is going to be a tremendous boom to our median income and well-being of people here as we struggle through this pandemic phase in our history."

The governor's office said the state offered Amazon a competitive incentive package to secure the project. The company will be eligible for a performance-based grant of $3 million over two years to offset facility infrastructure costs.