AKRON, Ohio — Employment at the Amazon Fulfillment Center in Akron could be double what has previously been reported. At a recent council meeting, Barberton Mayor William Judge said his administration has been in touch with Amazon and the company said a lot more workers will be needed at the center, according to News 5 media partner Ohio.com.

“The job figure has changed,” the mayor said. “…It was 1,500 jobs. That’s changed to 3,000.”

The 700,000-square-foot facility at the former site of Rolling Acres Mall in Akron is a quarter-mile from the border with Barberton, and the center is expected to draw workforce from surrounding communities.

Adele Dorfner Roth, director of development for the city of Akron, said the need for workers doesn’t come as a surprise, according to Ohio.com.

“I wouldn’t be surprised, the way Amazon is growing,” Dorfner Roth said.

She said things could change as the center isn't expected to open for more than a year.

“Amazon has told us all along that we could have 1,000 to 3,000 employees there,” said Dorfner Roth. But she said she hasn’t heard a clear announcement from the online retailer that the original figure of about 1,500 should be changed.

Barberton councilman Thomas Heitic told Ohio.com that he didn't know where the mayor got the revised employment figure.

Heitic said the mayor and his administration have been working with Akron Metro to realign bus routes in anticipation of the center.

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