Economic Development Announcement Monday

An official announcement is expected Monday, May 10th for a new multi-purpose warehouse, believed to be a new Amazon distribution facility.

Johnston County Commissioners and the Smithfield Town Council have scheduled a joint meeting Monday at 11:00am at the Smithfield Recreation & Aquatics Center to hold a public hearing on a proposed economic development incentive grant for an unnamed company “to locate a new multi-purpose warehouse/distribution facility in an underdeveloped area of the County.”

The company is seeking economic incentives over a 7-year period in exchange for investments and job creation. The grants will not exceed the property taxes paid by the company in any given grant year.

Construction is already underway on the facility in the West Smithfield Industrial Park in the 2100 block of Highway 70 Business West. Plans were submitted in March to the Johnston County Inspections Department for a 629,186 square foot building valued at $63.3 million.

In January, the Town Council approved creation of the 258-acre industrial park at the request of Samet Corporation of Greensboro. Samet has not responded to emails requesting a comment.

Johnston County Report first reported in February that Amazon was looking at the Smithfield site for a warehouse fulfillment center.