Neighbors react to plans for new Amazon warehouse in Fort Myers

Amazon will soon have the largest building in Southwest Florida.

The company just bought land off State Road 82 near the Forum for more than $66 million.

The e-commerce giant wants to build a new warehouse that will transform our economy as we know it and get you your packages faster.

Amazon told WINK News that Fort Myers made sense; there are customers to serve, there’s quality workforce here, plus this specific location they called perfect with Interstate 75 right there.

You add to your cart, order and within days, your Amazon package is at your door.

“You can order a package at 10 o’clock at night, and you get it the next morning. It’s amazing how it works,” said Tami Slater, who lives near the new Amazon facility.

Slater, who lives near the Forum, said that delivery time could become even faster because it is across the street, off State Road 82.

The grassy area will be a first-mile fulfillment center for Amazon.

“Which means that all of our product is going to be stored in this facility,” said Sam Blatt, Amazon’s economic development manager.

Stored, boxed and shipped.

Blatt told us it’s the company’s first fulfillment center in Southwest Florida with Amazon’s most advanced robotics.

“To help with the picking, packing, sorting of our packages to get those to our customers quicker. We’re going to be utilizing artificial intelligence AI with these robots as well,” Blatt said.

Blatt told us the 750,000-square-foot warehouse will create over 1,000 jobs.

“It’ll be good because of jobs, but then we’re a little more worried about traffic,” said Dashawn, who lives near the new Amazon facility. “It already takes a longer time to commute back and forth.”

Gulfshore business editor David Dorsey broke the news of this facility.

He told us Amazon will cover it all: water, sewer connections, median cut-throughs and any road improvements, but the mayor’s favorite thing?

“They pay taxes, so you have an undeveloped piece of land. It’s now going to have this massive facility on it, and it will help us with the tax base,” said Fort Myers Kevin Anderson.

So when will your packages start getting to you faster, and when will all those jobs come to the area?

The goal is for construction to start at the beginning of 2025 and to have the facility open by mid-2027.