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SALT LAKE CITY — A growing online used car dealer plans to open a new facility in Tooele that's expected to bring the county more than 150 new jobs over the next few years.
Carvana, an Arizona-based company founded in 2012, plans to open a new inspection and reconditioning center in Tooele that would bring the area a total of 173 jobs in the next seven years, Utah Governor's Office and Economic Development said in a statement last week.
According to the state office, Carvana will invest $42.5 million in the facility and another $53.4 million in wages over that seven-year span. It also estimates the new facility will generate close to $3.8 million in statewide tax revenue.
State officials added that the company could also earn up to $757,736 in tax credit over that seven-year span if it upholds its agreement with the state to deliver jobs.
Carvana was already on the rise heading into 2020, but much like other e-commerce businesses like Amazon or Etsy, it experienced a spike in stock value after the COVID-19 pandemic began and shifted consumer norms. The company's stock value increased 234% between Feb. 14, 2020, and Friday, according to Google Finance.
"Carvana has changed the car-buying experience, especially during a worldwide pandemic," said Dan Hemmert, the executive director for the Governor's Office and Economic Development, in a statement. "This expansion will allow the company to serve the state and the Southwest region better as well as create almost 200 jobs."
The state didn't provide additional detail such as when the facility is expected to open or where it's located; however, the Tooele City Planning Commission voted last October to recommend that the city approve Carvana's request for a conditional use permit for a 107.5-acre plot of land near 299 Lodestone Way in the western part of the city.
A representative of the company explained at the meeting that a facility like what they envision typically employs "several hundred" people but also takes time to ramp up operations. The representative added that the company would look to develop a potential partnership with the Tooele Technical College in the future.
