Thousands Apply for Jobs in Tucson

The Arizona Daily Star has reported that a brand new Target received 16,000 applications from job seekers eager to apply for these jobs in Tucson.

The Target.com Fulfillment Center, 8940 E. Rita Park Drive, near Interstate 10 and Rita Road, is the Minneapolis-based company's first such center built from the ground up to Target's specifications. It is only one of three in the country dedicated solely to filling customer orders placed through its Web site.

The company's other two fulfillment centers are in Ontario, Calif., and Woodbury, Minn.

The Fulfillment Center held a grand opening in its new 975,000-square-foot Tucson warehouse last Friday. Elected and appointed government officials attended the opening.

The Tucson fulfillment center is operating just one shift, and at a fraction of its capacity. It began operations four months ago with 100 full-time workers, now employs more than 200 and is expected to gear up to 300 during the holiday peak period. Thousands more are expected to apply for jobs during this time period. It will be several years before the Fulfillment Center reaches full operating capacity.

Target spokesmen wouldn't say what the facility cost to build and equip, but the Pima County Assessor's Office set the full cash value of the land, building and improvements at $33.5 million for 2010.

The Arizona Star reported that a spokeswoman for TREO, Tucson Regional Economic Opportunities, which was involved in recruiting the Target fulfillment center, said Target received no tax waivers or other incentives to build here.

Target handed out five $3,000 checks at Friday's ceremony, one each to:
• The Vail Unified School District, for early-childhood literacy and the Vail Pride Day celebration.
• The Tucson Symphony, for free family concerts.
• Casa de los Niños, for a family violence-prevention program.
• Van Buskirk Elementary School in the Tucson Unified School District, for a library makeover.
• The Hope Network, for Hope Fest 2009.

Target has 1,719 stores in 49 states nationwide. Vermont is the only state without a Target store.