Packages are placed on a conveyor belt for sorting once they arrive at Amazon’s Last Mile Facility in Fallon.
Photo by Steve Ranson.
Christmas has come to Fallon twice within the past two months.
Amazon’s newest delivery station opened in at the New River Parkway Industrial Park several weeks before Santa made his deliveries in December, and the Feb. 13 formal ribbon cutting signaled the grand opening of the 23,000-square-foot building.
From the time the Fallon City Council approved the sale of 10.59 acres for $635,000 in the industrial park eight months ago for a Last Mile Facility distribution center, a hub delivery facility focused on drivers delivering packages within a 60-mile radius of Fallon.
According to Amazon officials, the distribution center will reduce the time for delivery items to customers and also
“This is a very exciting day for me, a very exciting day for Amazon, Churchill County and the city of Fallon,” said Tareq Wafaie, Amazon’s economic development manager based in Denver. “We are celebrating our most recent investment in Nevada.”
Wafaie, who leads economic development policy efforts with Amazon, directs economic development policy efforts in the Mountain West for Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Utah and Wyoming. He touted Amazon’s future developments in Northern Nevada after building its footprint in the Las Vegas area.
“This is our chance to really shine in a different part of the state that is important to delivery service to our customers, surprising and delighting them with better service times,” he said.
Goods will now be trucked to the Fallon distribution center from either Las Vegas or Reno, sorted and then placed with drivers who will deliver packages. During his short presentation, Wafaie thanked Fallon Mayor Ken Tedford, the city council and city attorney Trent deBraga, Churchill County Commissioner Eric Blakey and the county. Wafaie also thanked the Fallon Paiute Shoshone Tribe for their assistance in helping their members attain employment with Amazon.
“We are thrilled with the partnership you share with us and in welcoming us to Fallon,” he said. “The commitment to rural Nevada is really important, especially for the work that we do in our smaller community stations just like this one.”
Wafaie said he’s appreciative for Amazon’s growth in the region. He said the Fallon facility will be able to reach customers quicker because of its centralized location.
“It is our commitment to you that we would like to be a community partner with you,” Wafaie said. “Our commitment to our customers and to our employees is that we want to improve service, enhance employment possibilities with great paying jobs and benefits beginning with day one.”
Since 2010, he said Amazon has invested $17.5 billion in Nevada, and the Fallon facility will generate millions of dollars to the region.
Amazon’s Last Mile Distribution Facility is now the second largest tenant in the industrial park. The Dairy Farmers of America’s dry milk processing plant opened in 2014, and several medical facilities are also located in the industrial park. The Dairy Farmers of America’s 98,822-square-foot dry milk processing plant on 32 acres is the industrial park’s anchor on the south side that borders Wildes Road.
The DFA plant is in close proximity to the Port of Oakland and to dairies in Northern California.
Thomas Burns, executive director of the Nevada Governor’s Office of Economic Development, welcomed Amazon to Fallon.
“We look forward to your continual success and partnership,” Burns said.
Tedford officially welcomed Amazon to the industrial park and to the city of Fallon. He said decades ago, the city council’s vision was to create a business park for both existing and new businesses.
“Amazon fits that vision,” Tedford pointed out. “We are thrilled to be welcoming Amazon into our community
Tedford said talks with Amazon began in 2024 and included purchase of the property and then the authenticity to occupation issued eight months later. He credited talks with Sam Bailey, Amazon’s previous Economic Development Policy manager for a six-state area, of working with the city. Tedford said Amazon provided to be a right fit with its high wages and opportunities.
Over the years, Tedford said he has talked with many representatives seeking information on the industrial park. Tedford applauded Amazon for working with the city’s public works, business and legal departments to make the facility a reality.
“Amazon was by far the best we have ever dealt with,” Tedford said, citing how the city staff and Amazon worked side-by side
Amanda Heister, the Fallon site leader, has been with Amazon for five years. A U.S. Army veteran and native Oklahoman, Heister said the Fallon facility employs 51 flex or part-time drivers, which is in addition to the employees who sort incoming packages.