Peoria Councilor Bullock discusses the ‘Amkor Paradox’

The Amkor project has brought heated debate to our community. So why the “Paradox”? On the one hand, Amkor could be the cornerstone of a large, master-planned development that will attract upscale homes, retail, restaurants, medical/hospital, technology, R&D facilities, etc., while protecting open spaces, trails and parks.

On the other hand, Amkor ended up in Five North in Vistancia where residents were expecting high-end retail, restaurants, etc. The good news is that the “Kierland-style” Main Street high-end shopping and dining are still in the plans.

I have already had several meetings and have discovered these factual points:

1. Peoria signed the development agreement with Amkor a full year ago. The Amkor location is locked-in.
2. The city can’t make Amkor move – legally. If the city tries to cancel the agreement, Amkor could sue the city and would most likely win due to breach of contract.
3. The federal government is pushing hard for the building of microprocessor manufacturing and testing facilities in the USA. Amkor has been awarded up to $407 million in direct funding from the CHIPs Act and is expected to build without delay.
4.  The city did not give any land to Amkor. The city never owned the 50 acres. I read the 2012 agreement – it was a private land purchase.
5. Although most Mesquite District residents aren’t in favor of the location, it was chosen because of the available underground infrastructure. All the other land is state land and not available yet for purchase or development. 
   
   

I’m working on Plan A (speaking with Amkor about the feelings and requests of the residents) and Plan B (control the controllables - ensure water safety, chemical safety, appropriate traffic patterns and design of the facility). I’m meeting with the Amkor executive team Feb. 26. I will present both plans, and ensure Amkor understands the sentiment of the residents. I will also let them know that we need more community outreach to keep us regularly informed.

As your city council representative, I won’t lie or sugar-coat anything or just tell you what you want to hear. I will give you all the information and facts as soon as I get them, whether it’s good news or bad news. Although I am new to the city council, I will be a loud voice to represent the best interests of the Mesquite District.