On Monday, Gov. John Bel Edwards and Conn’s Inc. Chairman and CEO Norm Miller announced Conn’s HomePlus will open the 250,000-square-foot distribution center in West Baton Rouge Parish. The center will add 70 jobs with an average salary of over $41,300, according to media release from the governor’s office.
The distribution complex is planned to be built on Commercial Drive between the Port Allen and Lobdell exits along Interstate 10.
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Conn’s HomePlus is expected to make a $5.7 million capital investment to build out the distribution space. The Louisiana Economic Development estimates the project will result in an additional 59 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 125 new jobs in the Baton Rouge area.
“Consumer goods are vital to our economy, which makes the distribution sector so important in our state,” Gov. Edwards said. “With eight Conn’s HomePlus stores in Louisiana, and more to come, this distribution facility will serve consumers throughout our state, as well as shoppers in Mississippi and Alabama. We welcome this strong distribution investment by Conn’s and the quality jobs it will bring to Port Allen and West Baton Rouge Parish.”
Conn’s has been expanding in the Louisiana market after opening a second store in Baton Rouge and three stores in the New Orleans market this year. The company currently operates 127 retail locations in 14 states.
CAP Industrial Park I LLC is the development company that will build the distribution center and lease it to Conn’s.
The groundbreaking is expected by June 2019, and the center’s construction completed by the following year. The developer is expected to make a $17 million capital investment to build the distribution center.
The Conn’s distribution center is the first of two potential logistics facilities on the 34-acre Commercial Drive site. CAP Industrial Park I also is seeking other tenants while completing design work for a potential second distribution building of up to 270,000 square feet.
LED and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber began discussing the project in October 2018. The state offered Conn’s an incentive package that includes a $250,000 performance-based grant in order to secure the project. The grant will help offset building costs at the Port Allen distribution center.
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