@Magnetron There are several interesting articles and opinion pieces about the possible impact of hosting the new AZ HQ2. One urban affairs scholar said that Amazon has a unique opportunity to prove that you can move life-changing jobs to people who need them, rather than the old principle of motivating laborers to move to where the jobs are…because in this day and age in America, the folks who need the jobs perhaps the most, cannot afford to move to new locations. That’s one argument. Don’t know if I agree.
When Boeing opened its new facility in South Carolina, Boeing PNW workers raised cain and bitterly opined that few skilled workers in the PNW would re-locate to South Carolina. It would be interesting to find out where Boeing SC workers have come from in the main.
I think Bezos knows he needs political weight to protect him from anti-monopoly lawsuits. As Amazon gains a bigger share of the retail market, their cash reserves will be a plump target. We saw what happened to Microsoft.
Mayors hold little national power. Governors and congressmen offer some protection. Plus the suburbs surrounding Dallas and Austin are highly Republican, with the mega-churches and an 80/20 red/blue election split. Not so with Seattle.
Boeing is production-based labor and management was tired of strike threats. AZ has neither issue.
I wonder if the cities submitting the proposals are working with the surrounding counties on joint bids? In Denver, for example, there is plenty of land around the airport where Amazon could put up its own mini-city, but I don’t see high tech workers wanting to live by the airport, build their housing in the Denver school district. I’d think they’d rather be on the road between Denver and Boulder, and live in those suburbs. There are 3 different counties in that corridor, plus Denver. The counties share the mass transit authority, there are malls and school districts in all, there are universities in 3 of the 4.
One requirement is for the metro area to have 1 million in population, but the new headquarters could be place outside the city/county limits. Just wondering if the proposals are regional, or if the headquarter building would have to be in the city that wins the bid.
Amazon’s RFP highlights a preference for an urban, downtown campus. Although not a requirement, the area around the airport sure doesn’t seem to fit the bill. It does indicate suburban as being fine. Requirements were within 30 miles of the 1+ million population city and within 45 minutes of an international airport.
@twoinanddone I suspect so, I know the governor of Texas has said he is working on a deal for Amazon that will equally benefit any Texas city if Amazon HQ2 ends up in Texas. San Antonio pulled out.
It says that @55% of the Amazon employees walk/ride bikes to work which is a new trend and I believe it will be at a totally new place with lots of land (which is their requirement). 50,000 people is a huge city. Heard Lake Nona is a possibility. They have lots of land and lots of new buildings/homes going up. That’s what they are looking for - a new village for the yuppies and a place for them to grow.
I wouldn’t be surprised if after it’s a huge success that they may move their HQ out of Seattle to the new spot. Seattle is talking about having a Seattle tax and that doesn’t sit well with Amazon.
I’m sure Amazon will move their employees - whoever is willing to go too! That’s corp America. I’ve moved 4x because corporate keeps moving their offices so it’s definitely the norm.
Igloo is right. Our local Amazombies are quite outdoorsy, but it does not mean that the new bunch will have the same interests. When it comes to having a paycheck or not having one, interests step aside.
Amazon can move its Seattle digs across the lake… I think it already looked at some property here.
You don’t think people can be active or outdoorsy all over the country? No mountain biking, skiing, hockey, BBall, hiking/camping, sailing, tennis and on and on, except Denver??
Maybe in the south there aren’t the same winter sports. But that leaves a whole lotta turf.
In the NYT article I posted above, the author started with about 20 cities and knocked them out based on the factors Amazon set out - traffic, universities, taxes, etc. In the end, with 4 cities remaining, Denver won because of the quality of life factors, including outdoor recreation. It also has all the major sports teams and an okay arts and theater representation. I think the biggest negative is that it is close to Seattle.
New England has TONS of outdoorsy stuff right around Boston and with 1-3 hours you can reach all the region - ocean, lakes, mountains, hiking, kayaking, skiing in many forms, surfing, etc.
Inc magazine made a case for Grand Rapids, MI and I’m rooting for Grand Rapids. It’s got the university, it’s got the vibrant and educated population, the richest billionaires in Michigan live in metro GR and pump tons of money into philanthropic efforts, good K-12 school systems and an hour or less drive depending on where you live to the lakeshor and rising inbound population rates already occuring with the younger (tham me) demographic. Plus Amazon already has a division on the lakeshore that was a home grown company they purchased so they already have finance roots in the region. One can hope…
I wonder if they have considered Puerto Rico? Amazon could make a huge difference there, and it would be an interesting position to gain ground in central/south America. But they’d have to pressure Congress to repeal the Jones act.
As far as the cities in the continental US go, I think Pittsburgh makes the most sense.
I don’t really think Amazon is interested in “making a big difference” for a rust belt city or otherwise depressed area. They want tax breaks and readily available public transit.
Precisely. Like what they wanted in Seattle. Got some, but not much. They want a city that will roll a red carpet for them to build another Anazombieland. Tax-free.
The tax thing just makes Grand Rapids more attractive plus Switch just opened the largest operations center east of the Mississippi in Grand Rapids. If not Grand Rapids then my guess would be Denver.
