Is Toronto still in the running ? If so, easy to import cheap highly skilled labor & not be subject to the vagaries of US politics regarding immigrants.
I don’t think Canada allows cheap labor immigration but if that’s what Amazon is looking for, Canada can have Amazon.
Canada does.
That Amazon commericial is a riot. But I think the Austin line is a tease, a brillaint move to put Amazon’s decision back in the national conversation. No more, no less. If they’d said some non-contender, the commercial would still be a hoot, but just another great Superbowl ad.
Amazon issued a statement concerning that commercial. They did say that there are no front runners in that group of twenty finalists and the mention of Austin did not mean anything.
If I was Amazon leadership, this would give me pause in considering Atlanta as a HQ2 site.
As would this:
https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/23/atlanta-bid-for-amazon-hq2-didnt-need-georgia-anti-lgbt-adoption-bill.html
I think Atlanta is definitely out of the running now.
If it’s only the city proper then Philly is out 
I am sure there is more to it than just attracting top talent… they would be foolish not to consider how well and how the schools are funded. Look at what happened here - the McCleary was a ticking time bomb for Seattle.
All the insiders say it will be Northern Virginia. Amazoners already buying real estate there.
Interesting link @Dolemite . I still think Austin, but now think Northern VA/DC has just as good of a chance. Plus it would be a way for Bezos to give the one finger salute to our bully in chief.
^^That’s what the CNBC talking heads were saying.
While Boston doesn’t look great in terms of SAT scores, some towns in the suburbs have some of the highest in the nation. There’s also Boston Latin, but that’s an exam school. And of course many excellent private schools nearby as well.
@BunsenBurner I agree there is more to it than the talent pipeline. In fact, large metropolitan areas have large %% of transplants from other areas, and most ambitious kids do not return for work to the area they grew up.
I think it’s an attempt to assure Amazon employees that their families will land in an area with great educational opportunities for their kids… and NoVA certainly fits the bill in spades, but OMG the traffic!!!
I was driving on 295 through SE DC the other day. So much space there, and close to where workers might live, if anyone cared about developing that area.
Yes! Traffic - this is exactly why they need to stay away from Austin!
There is no way to avoid traffic (even with a good public transportation system) unless the facility is placed is a rural place, which is unlikely and will not offer the other benefits/resources/education options of a suburban location.
And I don’t think it will be Austin because the hipsters Amazon hires/wants to attract aren’t going to want to live in Texas. Yes, Austin is “cool,” but the weather isn’t ideal and… it’s in Texas. A friend is in management at Amazon and said she’d quit before moving to Texas and many of her cohorts feel the same. They want progressive, artsy communities, very desirable destinations that include water and mountains, summer and winter sports and an interesting selection of great schools/universities for their kids within a reasonable distance of where they live.
@katliamom well that’s good news for me, less new traffic and less new narrow minded people! Just wish all those people relocating from CA felt the same way.
But they don’t have to move. Amazon is going to hire 100 million new employees, all from Texas, to staff the new HQ. They aren’t going to have traffic as they’ll all have magic cars (bikes).
I don’t think amazon cares where the employees want to live. They say they do, but I don’t think they do.
@3scoutsmom – I’m in Colorado and I feel the same way 
except I don’t mind the Californians (or the mid westerners, East Coasters and southerners moving to Denver in record numbers.) They’ve made Denver a much more interesting, diverse and blue city - for which I am very grateful. I actually wouldn’t mind Amazon moving here if it helped fund affordable housing and built roads. Colorado is constrained by devastatingly limiting tax laws, and we could not absorb so many people without truly negative impact on the currently inadequate infrastructure. Plus, our beaches suck :0