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Fresno Readies Tax Deal For Nordstrom Fulfilment Center

Joe Moore
/
Valley Public Radio
Fresno City Hall (file photo)

UPDATE 12/17/15:
The Fresno City Council has approved an enhanced tax incentive plan to lure Nordstrom's fulfillment center to the city. The new plan includes up to $12 million in sales tax rebates to the company, based on the number of jobs created by the center. Fresno is competing with Visalia as possible sites for the 1 million square foot building.

ORIGINAL POST:

The City of Fresno is in the running to land a new distribution center for retailer Nordstrom. The company has selected two cities in the San Joaquin Valley as possible sites for the $110 million dollar building, which would serve as a fulfillment center for internet purchases.

The other site has not been disclosed, though it’s thought to be in the south valley.

FM89’s Joe Moore reports Fresno officials are rolling out a tax incentive plan in order to secure the project, which could employ as many as 1,000 people.

Mayor Ashley Swearengin wants to make a deal with the company involving sales taxes. In exchange for building the project in Fresno, the city would give Nordstrom a share of the sales tax revenue generated by online purchases that go through warehouse.

The exact amount would be tied to the number of jobs the project creates, it could be as much as $10 million. But there’s a catch. City officials say a new state law that takes effect January 1st could bar the city from entering into such an agreement. That’s why there’s a push to secure the incentive plan now.

The city council is set to vote on the proposal in a special meeting Thursday. If it moves forward, the center would be built in Southwest Fresno on North Avenue, near Highways 99 and 41.

Joe Moore is the President and General Manager of KVPR / Valley Public Radio. He has led the station through major programming changes, the launch of KVPR Classical and the COVID-19 pandemic. Under his leadership the station was named California Non-Profit of the Year by Senator Melissa Hurtado (2019), and won a National Edward R. Murrow Award for investigative reporting (2022).