Amazon has acquired land in Montrose from the Montrose Economic Development Corporation and plans to build a distribution center near Montrose Regional Airport.
The deal, finalized in late March, covers two parcels on County Road and Creative Place, near Western Skyways and adjacent to Cedar Creek. Amazon.com Services LLC paid approximately $2.18 million for the combined 7.76 acres, according to property records.
While Amazon has not released specifics about the site—such as whether it will be used for fulfillment, sorting or last-mile delivery—the Montrose Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) confirms the facility will provide both full-time and part-time job opportunities with benefits.
The above view of the land purchased by Amazon, highlighted in blue. (Montrose County image)
“We were very happy about the fact that Amazon chose Montrose for one of their distribution facilities,” said Sandy Head, executive director of MEDC. “The exciting part for the community is that everyone knows the company name ‘Amazon,’ which is not always the case with a typical manufacturing company or primary employer.”
Approved as hidden buyer
MEDC’s involvement began in April 2024, when the organization was contacted by an unnamed site-selection consultant seeking several properties in the Montrose area. They didn’t disclose their client at the time, and MEDC helped evaluate potential locations until the parcel along County Road emerged as the preferred site.
An initial letter of intent was signed in May 2024, followed by a formal purchase agreement in July that included a 180-day due-diligence period and optional extensions. Even the MEDC board of directors didn’t know Amazon was the end buyer until after the agreement was made, due to confidentiality provisions.
Amazon qualified as a “primary employer,” meaning the company exports goods or services and brings new revenue into the region—criteria MEDC requires for property sales.
MEDC facilitated Amazon’s due diligence by connecting the company with local officials, utility providers, contractors and adhering to a non-disclosure framework.
“Our office assisted them with connections to appropriate contacts with the County, City, Utilities and other service providers,” Head said. “All entities were to work under our NDA.”
Geographically strategic
The Montrose site sits in a strategic spot for transportation infrastructure, just off U.S. Highway 50 and adjacent to the Montrose Regional Airport. The terrain is flat and undeveloped, making it suitable for warehouse-style logistics operations. Its placement in an aerospace and fire-flow subdivision further supports rapid deployment. On Tuesday, workers could be seen digging the land.
Information from the County Tax Assessor’s Office shows details about the land sale. (Screenshot)
According to Head, MEDC’s local knowledge and streamlined process were important in securing Amazon’s investment.
Parallel growth in Grand Junction
Amazon’s interest in Montrose seems to indicate a broader strategy across Colorado’s Western Slope, anchored by the company’s recent Grand Junction expansion. On Jan. 30, 2025, the Grand Junction Economic Partnership announced the grand opening of a 38,000-square-foot last-mile delivery facility at 800 Saccomanno Road after buying land there for $2.8 million.
Built quickly after being announced in May 2024, the facility began operations in late December, just before the peak holiday season.
The 38,000-square-foot station, Amazon’s first such operation on the Western Slope, handles final-stage deliveries for Mesa County and surrounding areas.
The capital investment topped $25 million and created more than 75 positions—including operations managers, sorters and delivery personnel. Partnerships with Mesa County Workforce Center fostered job fairs and recruitment efforts.
At the Jan. 30 ribbon-cutting, Amazon’s Sam Bailey, senior manager for economic development policy, highlighted the importance of local collaboration and speed to market.
“We rely on partnerships with communities when we make sizable investments like this. My first call was to the Grand Junction Economic Partnership and the City of Grand Junction … this facility represents our long‑term investment in the greater Grand Junction area and the Western Slope,” Bailey said, according to a news release from the Grand Junction Economic Partnership.
City officials in Grand Junction likewise praised the streamlined process. Grand Junction Mayor Abe Herman noted that efficient planning and cooperation allowed the facility to open ahead of holiday demand. Curtis Englehart, executive director of the Grand Junction Economic Partnership, called the investment a sign of the region’s economic vitality and capacity to support major employers.
This Grand Junction center complements Amazon’s network of fulfillment and sortation centers statewide. The company’s Western Slope expansion underscores its goal of reducing delivery times and enhancing service in geographically underserved areas.
What this means
Based on patterns seen in Grand Junction and other markets like Davenport, Iowa, and El Paso, Texas, Amazon may replicate or adapt its model in Montrose. The Montrose facility could be another last-mile delivery station, similar to Grand Junction’s, or potentially a smaller fulfillment or sortation hub—especially since its acreage matches other Amazon builds.
But specifics about jobs, design or operation remain confidential.
Amazon would not immediately comment on their plans but has indicated it will share details once construction is complete and the facility holds a grand opening.
“The community will have access to the facility for drop‑off and pick‑ups,” Head said. ”It’s just fun to have a company like this located here.”
Amazon’s extension into Montrose shows that Western Slope towns can host global supply-chain infrastructure like an Amazon plant.
Beyond Montrose and Grand Junction, Amazon continues to expand nationally.
In 2025 alone, it’s opened a robotics fulfillment center in Charlton, Massachusetts; is building a 114,000-square-foot delivery station in Davenport; and has purchased land for a new station in El Paso, plus upcoming facilities in Goochland County, Virginia, and Surry County, North Carolina.
Justin Tubbs is the Montrose Business Times editor. He can be reached by email at justin@montrosebusinesstimes.com or by phone at 970-765-0915 or mobile at 254-246-2260.
