Amazon wants to double its footprint and daily cargo flights out of Lakeland Linder International Airport. Its plans, however, will likely have to first face public scrutiny.
Amazon will host a public forum beginning at 6 p.m. Thursday at the RP Funding Center to present its plans for a nearly 63-acre expansion in Lakeland. A public hearing will start at 7 p.m. where residents will have their opportunity to have their voices heard.
Amazon opened its 285,000-square-foot cargo facility in the northwest corner of Lakeland Linder in July 2020. Now, the company is seeking to expand on 63 acres adjacent to its current facility under terms offered in its original May 2019 contract with the City of Lakeland.
Amazon proposes to build an additional 464,000-square-foot facility, nearly twice the size. Other proposed features would include a new fuel farm to store up to 24,000 gallon of gasoline and 72,000 gallons of jet fuel, additional employee parking with truck bays for ups to 350 vehicles.