SMITHFIELD, N.C. — Amazon is investing $100 million in North Carolina. 

The company is launching an import processing center in Smithfield. The center will create more than 500 jobs with pay starting at $15 an hour. 

"Amazon has found a home in North Carolina, and we are excited about this latest announcement for Smithfield," Gov. Roy Cooper said in a statement. "Our world-class workforce is ready to step up and make the new, state-of-the-art facility a strong link in the company's supply chain."

The move is great news for Smithfield, as the center is only roughly two miles from its downtown. 

“A big place like Amazon coming here is certainly going to help drive people downtown a lot more and be able to help out myself and all the other restaurants down here,” said Scott Gandolph, who runs Gotham’s Deli in downtown Smithfield. 

The announcement by Amazon came less than two weeks after Apple announced that it is building its first East Coast campus in North Carolina, investing $1 billion for a site in Research Triangle Park.

“The Triangle is seeing a lot of growth right now and West Smithfield is excited. This is going to open up opportunities for residential growth and the infrastructure that's going to be put in place, so it's going to be a huge win, both from the traditional economic development but also from the residential standpoint as well,” said Chris Johnson, the Johnston County Director of Economic Development. 

Amazon’s new facility is expected to open in 2022.