OREANDA-NEWS. With company representatives, Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval, Clark County Board of Commissioners Chair Steve Sisolak, Clark County District F Commissioner Susan Brager, U.S. Congressman Joe Heck, local officials and community leaders on-hand, IKEA, the world’s leading home furnishings retailer, today officially broke ground for its future Las Vegas store. Until the future IKEA Las Vegas opens in Summer 2016 as the first store in Nevada, customers can shop at the closest IKEA stores: Covina, CA; Tempe, AZ, or Draper, UT; or online at IKEA-USA.com.

The 351,000 square-foot future IKEA Las Vegas, and 1,300 parking spaces, will be built on 26 acres along the northern side of Interstate-215 at Durango Drive, near Sunset Road. IKEA has contracted with R&O Construction to build the project, and store plans reflect the same unique architectural design for which IKEA stores are known worldwide. In addition, IKEA will evaluate potential on-site power generation to complement its current U.S. goal of a renewable energy presence at nearly 90% of its U.S. locations.

“This location will help bring the unique IKEA family-friendly shopping experience closer to many Las Vegas-area customers who currently can only shop at IKEA stores elsewhere or online,” said Rob Olson, IKEA U.S. CFO. “The store also will attract new customers from throughout Clark County and Southern Nevada who value good design, good function and affordable prices, but have not had a chance yet to shop at IKEA.”

IKEA Las Vegas will feature nearly 10,000 exclusively designed items, 50 inspirational room-settings, three model home interiors, a supervised children’s play area, and a 450-seat restaurant serving Swedish specialties such as meatballs with lingonberries and salmon plates, as well as American dishes. Other family-friendly features include a ‘Children’s IKEA’ area in the Showroom, baby care rooms, play areas throughout the store, and preferred parking. In addition to the more than 500 jobs that are expected to be created during the construction phase, approximately 300 coworkers will join the IKEA family when the new store opens. IKEA Las Vegas also will provide significant annual sales and property tax revenue for local governments and schools.

Candidates interested in working at this employer of choice should begin looking online this fall at IKEA-USA.com, where they will be able to apply for diverse positions available in home furnishings sales, interior decoration, customer service, safety and security, cashiers, maintenance, goods flow, receiving, warehouse and stock replenishment. Among its total coworkers, IKEA Las Vegas also will offer more than 60 food service opportunities in its Restaurant, Swedish Foodmarket, Caf? Bistro and coworker cafeteria.

Since its 1943 founding in Sweden, IKEA has offered home furnishings of good design and function at low prices so the majority of people can afford them. There are currently more than 360 IKEA stores in 47 countries, including 40 in the U.S. IKEA has been ranked in FORTUNE’s annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, Working Mother magazine’s annual list of “100 Best Companies for Working Mothers” and Training magazine’s annual “Top 100.” IKEA incorporates sustainability into day-to-day business and supports initiatives that benefit children and the environment. For more information see IKEA-USA.com, @IKEAUSA, @IKEAUSANews, or IKEAUSA on Facebook, Youtube, Instagram and Pinterest.