Amazon sparks backlash with plans for new type of store: 'It's going to be a bit of a mess'

A Chicago suburb is set to feature a new kind of Amazon store, and feelings about the development are mixed.

What's happening?

According to local station WGN, the Orland Park Board voted 5-2 in January to move forward with proposals for a new Amazon retail center. The store is planned to occupy a 230,000-square-foot footprint.

The new store format is set to operate much like a Costco or Walmart, catering to high-volume shopping with groceries and merchandise. 

Plans include about 800 parking spaces and seven loading docks spread across a 35-acre lot, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Why are some community members against the new store?

Residents have expressed varied concerns about the new project. 

"There are going to be hundreds of new parking spots there with this new development," Orland Park resident Carol McGury told WGN. "It's going to be a bit of a mess," McGury continued, referring to how store construction could be compounded by the addition of a new gas station at a nearby Costco.

Some people are worried that the store's presence will cause severe traffic and congestion. Others are focused on how the store will represent the community.

"How does a 230,000-square-foot industrial concrete structure serve as a welcoming entrance to our community?" resident Joe Solek asked the board, per the Sun-Times.

"The timeline from initial public awareness to potential board approval feels unusually fast for a project of this size and permanence," resident Michael Sipple said during public comment. Sipple believes the community was not given sufficient time to review the plans and raise their concerns.

Between the logistics, optics, and what seems to some like a rushed timeline, some locals feel the store is a bad decision for the community. But a number of board members and the mayor say it will bolster the local economy, create jobs, and make room for future business expansions, according to WGN. 

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Some of those future businesses could be sustainable startups showcased by Amazon's Sustainability Accelerator. But while the company has noted efforts to reduce plastic waste, it has also been known for a significant environmental footprint. And the promise of local job opportunities is soured by recent news of mass corporate layoffs at the company. 

What's being done?

Solek had created an online petition to pause the vote and give the municipality more time to consider the development. While it has not apparently halted proceedings, it's an example of locals getting involved and voicing their opinions to help shape their community. 

Concerned residents of Orland Park are likely to continue doing so. One board member, meanwhile, has since raised the question of whether a Plan Commission member may have had a connection to an attempt to influence the vote via a social media post, according to the Chicago Tribune. An investigation into the commission member was voted down, 5-2.

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