LAFAYETTE – Amazon continues to expand its shipping presence in Louisiana, adding a fulfillment center to its portfolio, the state announced Tuesday.

The fulfillment center, the first in Louisiana, joins a warehouse in Baton Rouge off Siegen Lane and an ongoing construction project in West Baton Rouge. The fulfillment center will be in Lafayette Parish, near the interchange of I-10 and I-49.

The facility, in the community of Carencro, will employ 500 people, the governor’s office said in a prepared statement. Amazon will spend $100 million to setup the operation. It’s believed the facility will create 982 indirect jobs.

The facility is located at the former Evangeline Downs horse track, which moved to St. Landry Parish years ago. Amazon will build a1 million-square-foot fulfillment center at the site where the company will pick, pack and ship bulky or larger-sized items, such as patio furniture, outdoor equipment and rugs.

State officials said Wednesday, Amazon has already invested more than $250 million in Louisiana since 2010, counting its seven Whole Foods Market locations in Louisiana and Amazon delivery stations in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. The company also operates an Amazon Air logistics gateway at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

Amazon employs more than 1,500 full- and part-time workers in Louisiana.

“We are thrilled to be opening our first fulfillment center in the great state of Louisiana,” said Alicia Boler Davis, Amazon’s vice president of global customer fulfillment. “We are grateful for the strong support we’ve received from local and state leaders as we expand our footprint in Louisiana. Every day at Amazon, incredible employees come together to deliver magical experiences for customers and we look forward to creating over 500 new full-time jobs for the local community, with industry-leading pay and comprehensive benefits starting on day one.”

***************

Follow the publisher of this post on Twitter: @treyschmaltz