Amazon Opens Massive Cross Dock Facility in Desert Hot Springs

A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of one of the largest industrial facilities in Desert Hot Springs — a new 635,000-square-foot inbound cross dock operated by Amazon.

The facility serves as a key entry point for products entering Amazon’s distribution network. Instead of long-term storage, shipments arrive at the site where they are scanned, sorted, and quickly reloaded onto outbound trucks headed to fulfillment centers. The goal is to better position products closer to customers, reduce last-mile delivery costs, and improve efficiency across the network.

Inside the building, more than 15 miles of conveyor belts keep inventory moving. Large bulk shipments are broken down, consolidated, and routed based on predicted demand before being sent to fulfillment centers.

Company leaders say the investment reflects Amazon’s commitment to growing alongside the communities it serves. The facility already employs more than 1,500 people, with that number expected to exceed 2,000 at full capacity.

Most of those jobs are anticipated to go to residents of the Coachella Valley.