Amazon Lakeland has a nice ring, doesn’t it? Technology supergiant announced plans to open a cargo hub at Lakeland Linder International Airport (LAL). The cargo hub will be Amazon’s largest facility in Southeastern U.S.
Here’s everything you need to know, by the numbers.
✈️ 800-1,000. The number of employees the cargo operation would initially employ.
✈️ 223,000 sq. ft. The expected size the main facility will be, with an additional 60,000 sq. ft. in two smaller accessory buildings.
✈️ 47. The number of acres Amazon will initially lease, with an option to expand an additional 62 acres over the next five years.
✈️ $80,651. The amount of money Amazon would pay per month in rent payments. Additionally, Amazon will also pay landing fees of 85 cents per 1,000 pounds of cargo + fuel pump fees. Read here for total project cost.
✈️ 2011. The year Airport Director Gene Conrad + his team started laying the foundation to make Amazon coming to Lakeland, a reality. Over the years, the team created a masterplan and worked with state officials to identify what the airport facility would incorporate (government aviation, U.S. Customs, interservice + an intercargo facility). Amazon started talking about the project in 2017, and since LAL was already doing the legwork, they were well prepared in advance for this collaboration.
✈️ 3-4. The number of flights LAL may eventually offer in commercial air services. In the future, Lakeland Linder may have connecting flights to destinations like Charlotte + Atlanta.
✈️ 50. How many years the lease includes, with an initial 20-year agreement + options to extend each 10 years thereafter for the remaining three decades.
✈️ 5. The number of fuel tanks that will be installed at the airport. Under the agreement, the airport is required to make several infrastructure improvements, including upgrading the instrument landing system.
✈️ 574 million. The amount Lakeland Linder International Airport has in economic impact.
✈️ 45. The number of years the SUN ‘n FUN International Fly-In & Expo has been around. And according to Gene Conrad, it + other airport programs are not going anywhere.
✈️ 2020. The year Amazon planes will be in the air. City commissioners approved the project at their commission meeting on Monday, May 20, 2019.
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