Amazon to Silverdome site, bringing 1500 jobs

**DetroitSoldier** · September-18-19, 07:02 PM

Breaking news per crains...

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-e...ilverdome-site

Dubbed "Project Cougar" in Pontiac Planning Division documents related to the former home of the Detroit Lions, Atlanta-based Seefried Industrial Properties is proposing a 3.7 million-square-foot, two-building distribution campus for the Seattle-based e-commerce giant housing at least 1,500 full- and part-time workers.

The Planning Commission approved a permit for the 127-acre site Wednesday night to be used as a warehouse and distribution center. The project is expected to be complete by the third quarter of 2021.

**313WX** · September-18-19, 07:54 PM

A bunch of low wage jobs. Yay!

**DetroitSoldier** · September-18-19, 08:04 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

A bunch of low wage jobs. Yay!

I'm not a big fan of Amazon, however the article states that jobs will start at $15/hr. That's nothing to sneeze at. And since when are we picky about 1,500 jobs in a city like Pontiac that really needs this infusion?

**mikeg19** · September-19-19, 10:36 AM

Who would bag on $15 an hour starting? You realize that Tier 1 jobs at GM start just above that. Would you call that a low paying job?

**401don** · September-19-19, 10:40 AM

It's hard work but it replaces a lot of part-time retail work with full-time jobs with good benefits.

**313WX** · September-19-19, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by mikeg19

Who would bag on $15 an hour starting? You realize that Tier 1 jobs at GM start just above that. Would you call that a low paying job?

Yes.

Why do you think they're on strike right now?

**Danny** · September-19-19, 12:37 PM

1500 jobs. Leave 1,000 priority jobs for the People of Pontiac.

**Johnnny5** · September-19-19, 06:18 PM

"Bringing 1500 jobs"? I don't really see how this claim can be made. Any job Amazon is "bringing" is likely eliminating at least one position at a local competitor, and likely more than one.

I've said this before, but something has to be done about the unfair advantage Amazon has in not having to profit from its retail sales. Two decades of growth and a vast increase in market share and still nothing more than an occasional token profit shown as a retailer. How does any other retailer stand a chance?

**Metro25** · September-19-19, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

A bunch of low wage jobs. Yay!

Agreed

**Seven&wyo** · September-19-19, 06:39 PM

Originally Posted by Johnnny5

"Bringing 1500 jobs"? I don't really see how this claim can be made. Any job Amazon is "bringing" is likely eliminating at least one position at a local competitor, and likely more than one.

I've said this before, but something has to be done about the unfair advantage Amazon has in not having to profit from its retail sales. Two decades of growth and a vast increase in market share and still nothing more than an occasional token profit shown as a retailer. How does any other retailer stand a chance?

Or at the very least pay your fucking taxes

**Metro25** · September-19-19, 09:17 PM

This would be the more important Amazon investment relating to Michigan
https://techcrunch.com/2019/09/19/am...utral-by-2040/

**Wheels** · September-20-19, 08:34 AM

Originally Posted by 313WX

A bunch of low wage jobs. Yay!

Must be a fan of OCD or AOC or whatever that brain dead bartenders name is.

**313WX** · September-20-19, 08:35 AM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Must be a fan of OCD or AOC or whatever that brain dead bartenders name is.

And you must be a fan of Dump or Trump or whatever that brain dead reality tv show star's name is.

**hybridy** · September-20-19, 12:48 PM

Originally Posted by Wheels

Must be a fan of OCD or AOC or whatever that brain dead bartenders name is.

Jeez I don't usually feed into this frenzy, but AOC delights in the Murdoch foaming af the mouth. She wants to make noise with her agenda and doesn't care about the criticism - she's motivating her base. The more she and her views get into the news, the more they get discussed on the street - good or bad. Sound familiar?

We should also be cognizant of casually throwing around the term 'brain dead' regarding high-profile politicians these days. Sheesh

**Lowell** · September-20-19, 02:13 PM

Amazon is a leader in warehouse automation and deep into autonomous vehicle delivery development. What low wage jobs they create are likely long-term threatened and doomed by those factors.

I was watching a much ballyhooed Amazon job fair here and around the country. One of the guys spot-interviewed mentioned how he was experienced as a fork lift driver. All I could think was, poor soul he clearly has not seen pictures of the inside of an Amazon warehouse.

Along those lines, Andrew Yang's proposal for a guaranteed income should move beyond the laughing-stock phase in a few years when these automation trends truly take hold.

**hybridy** · September-20-19, 02:18 PM

Yep, we're in denial about how automation will drastically reshape the job industry. Finish that computer science degree. It's just starting.
https://youtu.be/HSA5Bq-1fU4

**313WX** · September-20-19, 02:36 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Amazon is a leader in warehouse automation and deep into autonomous vehicle delivery development. What low wage jobs they create are likely long-term threatened and doomed by those factors.

I was watching a much ballyhooed Amazon job fair here and around the country. One of the guys spot-interviewed mentioned how he was experienced as a fork lift driver. All I could think was, poor soul he clearly has not seen pictures of the inside of an Amazon warehouse.

Along those lines, Andrew Yang's proposal for a guaranteed income should move beyond the laughing-stock phase in a few years when these automation trends truly take hold.

There's nothing wrong with Yang's proposal for UBI in/of itself. Even Richard Nixon almost proposed UBI legislation [[before backing out in the 11th hour).

The problem is Yang thinks UBI should take the place of and effectively abolish others government assistance programs, as if that would be some type of panacea for all of our problems.

That's said, it's good that he's conditioning everybody to the concept of UBI, provided it's only in the form of a supplement

**iheartthed** · September-20-19, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Amazon is a leader in warehouse automation and deep into autonomous vehicle delivery development. What low wage jobs they create are likely long-term threatened and doomed by those factors.

I was watching a much ballyhooed Amazon job fair here and around the country. One of the guys spot-interviewed mentioned how he was experienced as a fork lift driver. All I could think was, poor soul he clearly has not seen pictures of the inside of an Amazon warehouse.

Innovation would happen with or without Amazon. I have my grievances with giving blank checks to rich corporations, but I don't hold innovation against them. The forklift truck itself is an innovation that replaced someone else's job decades ago.

For the foreseeable future, Amazon will need human forklift drivers. They don't need as many as were needed in the 90s, but they still need them.

**iheartthed** · September-20-19, 02:49 PM

Originally Posted by 313WX

There's nothing wrong with Yang's proposal for UBI in/of itself. Even Richard Nixon almost proposed UBI legislation [[before backing out in the 11th hour).

The problem is Yang thinks UBI should take the place of and effectively abolish others government assistance programs, as if that would be some type of panacea for all of our problems.

That's said, it's good that he's conditioning everybody to the concept of UBI, provided it's only in the form of a supplement

I haven't followed Yang closely, could you point me to what he wants to abolish in favor of UBI?

**313WX** · September-20-19, 02:59 PM

Originally Posted by iheartthed

I haven't followed Yang closely, could you point me to what he wants to abolish in favor of UBI?

From Politifact:

https://www.politifact.com/truth-o-m...roposal-expla/

"It can reduce administrative costs for the government, by shifting from traditional means-tested social-welfare programs to a one-size-fits-all payment"

**hybridy** · September-20-19, 06:57 PM

Any grasp on what the taxpayer handout will be on this one? Bezos is a bigger welfare queen than the Waltons, Gilbert and Ilitch combined.

**Metro25** · September-20-19, 09:17 PM

Gilbert is not a welfare queen. The vast majority of his incentives don't materialize until he delivers on his projects. Don't lump him in with Ilitch, its such a false equivalency.

**hybridy** · September-21-19, 09:23 AM

Originally Posted by Metro25

Gilbert is not a welfare queen. The vast majority of his incentives don't materialize until he delivers on his projects. Don't lump him in with Ilitch, its such a false equivalency.

Point taken. They all still receive subsidies and I agree some provide more public benefit than others, by far.

**Entony** · August-29-20, 02:34 AM

Let’s check the famous Amazon example: they operate more than ten Amazon Go automated retail stores and plan to expand the business to 3,000 units by 2021. And Amazon isn't alone on this path. More and more companies like Walmart or Bingo Box start investing in automation and AI technologies – for the sake of their customers and employees.For instance, Kroger [[one of the US' largest supermarket chains) uses digital shelves that show prices, digital ads, nutrition details, and offer coupons. These details are updated directly from a central source, no need for local interruptions. And an eventual goal for the company is no less than moving the shelves to customers' smartphones. I read this information on this website, you can check if you are interested. Seems like automation process is new trend in business.