Amazon paid nearly $20M for acreage along Loop 303

Amazon spent nearly $20 million for 91.5 acres of land in metro Phoenix’s west edge along a rapidly growing stretch of Loop 303, real estate records show.

The land, at the northwest corner of Indian School Road and Cotton Lane just west of the 303, is near a glut of distribution centers, including Sub-Zero, Dick’s Sporting Goods and UPS. But Amazon won’t say what’s planned for its new southwest Valley property.

“We are constantly exploring new locations and weighing a variety of factors when deciding where to develop future sites to best serve customers, however, we have a policy of not commenting on our future roadmap,” Amazon spokeswoman Lisa Guinn wrote in an email to The Arizona Republic. “This land purchase in Goodyear provides us with the flexibility to quickly respond to our future network needs.”

Amazon has for years had a presence in the southwest Valley.

The online retail and streaming jackof-all trades megacorporation already has a fulfillment center and a global operations center in Goodyear. Last year, the company announced it would build a “delivery station” in Goodyear as part of its “Last Mile” team, which hires a third party to deliver packages, groceries and restaurant orders.

As the West Valley has exploded in growth, the Loop 303 business corridor has grown with it.

The stretch of the 303 that runs from Interstate 10 to the north has landed manufacturing and distribution centers for several high-profile companies.

Discount grocer Aldi, which recently announced it will open four metro Phoenix stores by the end of 2020, has plans to open a distribution center and regional office in the 303 business corridor as well. The site, at Cotton Lane and Indian School Road, has not yet broken ground.