Climate Advantage

Arizona's climate continues to give us a comparative advantage in certain things. In the latest case, it provides an advantage in fullfillment centers.

Amazon opened a 600,000-square-foot warehouse in 2007 near 68th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road in Phoenix and followed up in 2008 with an 800,000-square-foot facility at 16920 W. Commerce Drive in Goodyear.

Its largest Valley operation, a 1.2 million-square-foot fulfillment center at 4750 W. Mohave St. in Phoenix, is just now coming on line and will bring 1,200 new jobs to the area.

Berman said the Valley's proximity to other metropolitan areas, its large labor pool and climate contributed to Amazon's decision to continue to expand in the area.

"There aren't a lot of days where transportation gets bogged down because of weather," he said.

We export fighter pilots for the same reason.