Amazon.com today announced plans for its second Mississippi fulfillment center, to be located in DeSoto County. The facility will create 500 new, full-time jobs starting at $15 an hour with comprehensive benefits starting on day one.

“Mississippi has proven itself to be a great place for Amazon to do business and gives us the opportunity to better serve our customers in the region,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are excited about our growth and remain committed to creating a positive economic impact in the region with job opportunities that have great pay and benefits.”

Associates at the more than one million-square-foot fulfillment center will pick, pack and ship large customer items, such as sports equipment, patio furniture, fishing rods, pet food, kayaks, bicycles, and larger household goods.

“Amazon’s decision to locate a second fulfillment center in North Mississippi is a tremendous milestone for DeSoto County and our entire state,” Governor Phil Bryant said. “This announcement serves as a shining example to industry leaders around the globe that Mississippi plays to win. We offer a supportive business climate and integrated transportation network so companies with shipping needs, such as Amazon, can reach their customers in rapid time and remain a step ahead of their competition.”

On top of Amazon’s $15 minimum wage, the company offers full-time employees comprehensive benefits including full medical, vision, and dental insurance as well as a 401(k) with 50 percent match starting on day one. The company also offers up to 20 weeks of maternal and parental paid leave and innovative benefits such as Leave Share and Ramp Back, which give new parents flexibility with their growing families.

“In just 10 months, Amazon has announced two Mississippi locations creating 1,300 jobs for the people of North Mississippi. Amazon’s new DeSoto County location is evidence of the fact that the Mississippi team works together to support extraordinary companies, enabling them to achieve their goals in our state,” said MDA Executive Director Glenn McCullough, Jr. “The Mississippi Development Authority, along with the DeSoto County Economic Development Council, DeSoto County and the DeSoto County Board of Supervisors, is proud to once again support one of the world’s most innovative companies as Amazon brings another 500 career opportunities to Mississippians in DeSoto County.”

Amazon’s fulfillment network supports millions of businesses of all sizes worldwide through its Fulfillment By Amazon offering, and many of those local organizations are based in Mississippi. There are more than 7,500 authors, small and medium-sized businesses, and developers in Mississippi growing their companies and reaching new customers on Amazon products and services.

The project is being developed by Hillwood Investment Properties.