For years Chautauqua County residents have been hearing about the importance of technology jobs as the next wave of economic development in our county.

The news, first reported by Buffalo Business First, that several Chautauqua County sites are being considered by Amazon for a distribution center could be our foot in the door to the distribution giant and the supply chain-related businesses it brings.

This is an opportunity we must not miss.

Grand Islanders had concerns about pollution and traffic that were not quelled with Amazon’s offer of $10 million in road upgrades, bike trails and a new community center.

Here in Chautauqua County, there is plenty of space for a 3.8 million-square-foot facility that would employ some 300 construction workers and 1,000 full-time workers after the facility opens. The Grand Island facility was to generate $31 million in annual payroll and $51 million in property tax revenue over its first 15 years.

There will be some in our midst who will argue that Amazon should receive no tax breaks or incentives. Those who make that argument live in the wrong state. New York’s rules, regulations and tax structure make it necessary to have incentives to get a company like Amazon here.

Amazon is the type of well-heeled, deep-pocketed business that we need here after previous tax incentive-laden deals with companies like Castelli Cheese fell apart because we were throwing good money after bad development deals.

Amazon is as sure a bet as one can make. The possibility of $31 million in payroll, coming at a time when so many companies are closing and when so many small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, outweighs the tropes about tax incentives and PILOT agreements.

We applaud County Executive PJ Wendel for quickly instructing county development officials to enter the mix when it became apparent there were issues in Grand Island. Now, it’s up to those officials to come up with an offer that will get Amazon here. We have plenty of sites that would work. There is a much-discussed Ripley development site that is near I-90 and shovel-ready. Jamestown has plenty of space if money can be found to raze some old buildings. Frankly, it doesn’t matter where Amazon goes. The project is a benefit to county residents wherever it could end up.

Chautauqua County — both its development officials and residents — needs to roll out the red carpet for Amazon if we are indeed in the mix. Our county may not have this opportunity again, so seize it with both hands and don’t let go.