This Amazon warehouse in Ruskin, FL is one of many the e-commerce giant has opened in recent years.

MIAMI—Amazon recently inked its largest-ever lease in Miami. The e-commerce giant leased 91 acres at Carrie Meek International Business Park, a speculative $250 million industrial project at the Opa-locka Airport.

The announcement of Amazon's decision to occupy the industrial park comes just months after Foundry Commercial revealed details on its public/private partnership with The Carrie Meek Foundation. Under the partnership, the Foundation will receive a portion of all proceeds generated from the facility to offer job training to area residents, among other life-altering services, such as health care, affordable housing and education.

GlobeSt.com caught up with Pryse Elam, South Florida principal and president of development and investment, to get some insight into the deal in part two of this exclusive interview. You can still read part one: Behind Amazon's Biggest-Ever Miami Industrial Deal.

GlobeSt.com: What were the challenges you experienced along the way in finding the ideal solution for Amazon.

Elam: A project of this size will always face many challenges along the way. But there were three components that had to come together to make this work: (1) the deal with the Carrie Meek Foundation; (2) the deal with Amazon; and (3) permitting.

At Foundry, we have the benefit of working in a number of different states across the Southeast, which gives us a unique perspective. As a Florida resident, I am concerned by the fact that, in comparison with our neighboring states, we do not have as much of a corporate base.

Our economy is primarily driven by tourism, which tends to generate lower skilled and lower paying jobs. Amazon gave us the unique opportunity to attract a major employer who would create more jobs in a very short period of time than any other new employer that I have witnessed in South Florida and possibly even across the state.

GlobeSt.com: How did you overcome those challenges?

Elam: The mayor and the county commission immediately recognized the importance of this prospective employer and worked tirelessly to make sure that we were able to get them here. What was disappointing in the process was that for all of us to succeed, we had to work within a set of rules, ordinances and regulations that seemed to tie everyone's hands at every step. We would not be where we are today without the efforts of Commissioner Jordan, the mayor and his staff helping us navigate our way through.

GlobeSt.com: What were the challenges you experienced along the way in finding the ideal solution for Amazon.

GlobeSt.com: How did you overcome those challenges?

Instant Insights /

Amazon's Miami Deal Meant Overcoming Three Challenges

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