HEBRON, Ky. — After four years of preparation, Amazon's Northern Kentucky air cargo facility opened Wednesday.
The e-commerce giant touted the new facility — established at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) — as bringing thousands of jobs and billions of dollars in investment to both the region and across the country. The $1.5 billion, 800,000-square-foot facility eventually will employ 2,000 workers, officials said in a news release. According to the company, all of the new positions will pay at least $17.50 and offer a $2,000 signing bonus alongside benefits such as health insurance and parental leave.
Amazon began hiring for the new positions in the spring.
Candace McGraw, CVG's CEO, called the air hub's impact "transformational."
"CVG is proud to be home to Amazon Air's primary U.S. air cargo hub," McGraw said in the news release. "We've worked hard to ensure our airport is a great place to do business, and we couldn't be more pleased to partner with Amazon on the transformational impact this hub is having and will continue to have on our local economy..."
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear also praised the air hub as putting the state "at the center" of the megacorporation's distribution efforts.
"Across the coming years, Amazon Air will help attract more manufacturers, service providers and tech companies to Kentucky seeking to take similar advantage of our key geographic location," Beshear said.
