GREENFIELD — An online car dealership is eyeing the land left vacant by trucking company Celadon.
County leaders say online car dealership Carvana could occupy half the space, where it would refurbish cars later posted online for sale — if county leaders give it the OK.
Plans for the 160-acre property located at the intersection of Mt. Comfort Road and West County Road 300N were discussed during two recent public meetings.
Hancock Economic Development Council director Skip Kuker told the county council recently the company could create 350 to 450 new jobs. What those jobs would pay has yet to be disclosed.
That’s half the number of jobs Celadon promised to create before calling off its plans to relocate its corporate headquarters here.
Kuker said Carvana representatives have approached county officials about the site but haven’t provided many specifics about the project.
The development is expected to go before county boards for approval in the coming weeks.
County records show the land is still owned by Celadon Realty LLC.
In October, Celadon leaders called off their Hancock County project and put the property and a partially finished 75,000 square-foot-building on the market.
The $28 million project was expected to bring 900 jobs to Hancock County and was lauded as one of the biggest economic deals the county has landed in recent years.
Carvana is a Phoenix-based business that allows people to buy or sell used cars online.
It entered the Indianapolis car market in late 2016, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.
People browse the company’s used car selection online and make purchases there, too. Then, the car is delivered to their home, and the buyer has seven days to decide whether to keep it. The company also has “vehicle vending machines” people can visit to make a purchase.
Its current inventory consists of more than 11,300 used cars, the company’s website states.
In Hancock County, Carvana would refurbish used cars and store as many as 5,000 to 6,000 on the property, officials said.
County leaders say the potential development would be somewhat similar to Celadon’s vision — Celadon planned to store trucks on the property — but would lack the large corporate headquarters and high number of jobs they hoped to see out there.
“I guess we’ll have to see more of it because I’m picturing all these cars sitting out there and not a whole lot of assessable land,” said Hancock County Council president Bill Bolander.
