Amazon says USD $27 billion Florida spend creates jobs

Amazon has invested more than USD $27 billion in Florida, saying the spending has created jobs and supported local businesses in the state.

According to the company, the figure covers capital and operating spending since 2010, including fulfilment centres, delivery stations, data centres and employee compensation. Amazon says it directly employs more than 65,000 people in Florida and has created more than 95,000 indirect jobs across construction, logistics and other sectors.

The update offers a state-by-state view of the company's expanding physical footprint and the broader economic activity tied to its logistics and cloud infrastructure. It also shows how large technology groups are increasingly framing investment in terms of regional employment, tax contributions and supplier networks.

State footprint

Amazon's facilities now span more than 57 sites in Florida, including operations in Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville and Tallahassee. Those sites support fulfilment, sorting, last-mile delivery and cloud computing infrastructure.

Beyond direct employment, the group says it is a significant customer for local contractors, transport firms and service providers. More than 76,000 independent sellers in Florida use its marketplace, and those businesses recorded average annual sales of more than USD $240,000 in its store, according to Amazon.

The company also pointed to its delivery network as a source of work through independent partners. Florida has more than 60 Delivery Service Partners, which together employ more than 10,000 drivers and support staff, Amazon says.

Local spending

Part of the spending outlined by Amazon relates to construction and infrastructure projects tied to warehouses, logistics operations and data centres. Such projects typically generate demand for engineering, electrical, transport and maintenance services in the areas where facilities are built.

Amazon says this activity has reached small and medium-sized businesses across the state. "With more than $27 billion invested in Florida since 2010 and over 65,000 jobs created, Amazon is proud to contribute to the state's vibrant economy while helping local businesses and families thrive," said Holly Sullivan, Vice President of Worldwide Economic Development at Amazon.

The company also cited examples of local firms that have worked on its projects or sold goods through its platform. These included businesses in construction, transport and manufacturing, as well as consumer brands using Amazon's online marketplace to reach customers beyond Florida.

Cloud build-out

Amazon linked part of the Florida spending to the growth of Amazon Web Services, its cloud division, which operates data centre infrastructure in the state. Large-scale data centre investment has become an increasingly important part of state economic development efforts because of the construction work, equipment demand and long-term operations roles associated with such sites.

Even so, the jobs mix differs from that of fulfilment and delivery operations, as data centres generally require fewer permanent staff once construction is complete. Together, logistics assets and cloud infrastructure give Amazon a broad base in Florida across both physical retail support and digital services.

Tax revenue was also part of the company's economic case. Amazon says its investment has contributed billions of dollars in additional gross domestic product to Florida and generated state and local tax revenue through employee wages, supplier payments and construction activity.

The company presented Florida as one of its larger state-level employment markets, reflecting sustained growth in eCommerce distribution and related infrastructure in the US south-east. "Our investments in Florida are creating meaningful opportunities for residents and businesses across the state," said Sullivan.