Amazon’s plans for a massive air cargo center in Lakeland

Amazon-Cargo-Lakeland

Rendering of Amazon’s cargo facility at Lakeland Linder International Airport | Photo provided from City of Lakeland

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.

Have more questions on the project? Send them our way.

– LALtoday team (Jessica + Kaylee)

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