Ross Plans $500M Southeast Bakersfield Distribution Center; Nearly 1,000 Jobs Projected

Ross selects southeast Bakersfield for a major logistics project

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — Ross Stores plans to invest about $500 million in a 1.75 million-square-foot processing and distribution center in southeast Bakersfield, according to a Wednesday announcement from the City of Bakersfield and independent reporting by BakersfieldNow.

The planned site is near East Belle Terrace and Mount Vernon Avenue. The multi-year project is expected to break ground in 2027 and is projected to create nearly 1,000 jobs after completion.

Those figures describe an announced project. They do not mean $500 million has already been spent, construction has begun or 1,000 people have been hired.

What the announcement establishes

The City says the Bakersfield facility would become Ross Stores' 10th distribution center. Ross already operates a distribution center in Shafter, giving the company an existing logistics presence in Kern County.

Bakersfield City Manager Christian Clegg described the selection as the city's largest job-generating development in decades. Ross executive Rob Kummerer said the facility is intended to strengthen the retailer's operations and create local opportunities.

The scale is substantial: 1.75 million square feet is the planned building footprint, while nearly 1,000 is a projected employment figure tied to a future completed facility. Neither number is a present-day operating result.

What residents still need to know

The reviewed announcement does not provide a final completion date, a construction schedule beyond the expected 2027 groundbreaking, a wage scale, a job-by-job breakdown or a date when applications will open.

It also does not establish how many jobs would be permanent, how many would be temporary construction positions, what public incentives may be involved or what final land-use, traffic and infrastructure approvals remain. Those details will determine how the headline investment translates into lasting local benefit.

Residents should not treat social-media solicitations or unofficial application links as Ross hiring announcements. The City and company have announced a development plan—not an immediate hiring event.

Jobs, traffic and infrastructure will be the next test

A distribution center of this size can affect truck traffic, road wear, utilities, nearby neighborhoods and regional freight patterns as well as employment. Public review should identify expected truck routes, intersection improvements, water and power demand, air-quality controls and who will pay for required infrastructure.

The employment promise should also be tracked with measurable information: permanent positions, pay ranges, benefits, hiring dates, local recruitment and the difference between direct Ross jobs and indirect economic activity.

A groundbreaking would be a major milestone, but the most meaningful proof will come later through completed construction, operating permits, verified payrolls and public reporting on infrastructure obligations.

What happens next

The next confirmed milestone is the anticipated 2027 groundbreaking. Before then, residents should expect more detailed plans, agency reviews and construction information as the project moves from announcement to execution.

What’s the Scoop With Broach will update this report when Ross or the City publishes a firm construction timeline, hiring information, incentive agreements, traffic plans or a completion date.

About the image

The accompanying image is an authentic September 2019 aerial photograph of Bakersfield and the Kern River by Dicklyon. It is available through Wikimedia Commons under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license.

It is used as geographic context. It does not show the southeast Bakersfield project site, the East Belle Terrace and Mount Vernon Avenue area, a Ross facility, construction activity or newly created jobs.