Could Atlanta be in the running for second Amazon headquarters? (Carl: developments, outdoor)

[Otakumaster]

Originally Posted by bu2

Not at all.

If all other things are equal, they go to Boston or New York instead of Atlanta.

So its not a non-issue. Atlanta gets a passing grade so they don't get eliminated, but they don't necessarily win. They have to beat some of these other cities in other ways.

Lol, ok, and since all things aren't equal in real life and Atlanta meets and likely beats the requirements for workforce then in reality workforce is not really an issue for Atlanta. Transportation and Conservative politics are Atlanta's only real issues for this bid but workforce competency is not.

[AnsleyPark]

Originally Posted by Otakumaster

If you admit that Atlanta does well enough then it’s literally a non-issue in the context of Atlanta. Pretty sure that was Ansley’s point.

Yeppers

[Mutiny77]

I think there are two ways to look at workforce: the current share of the population employed in relevant sectors (tech, business, finance, engineering, etc) and the existing talent pipeline. That second one is just as important since it deals with a city's potential 1) to retain more grads from local institutions and 2) to attract more grads from institutions in the Southeast and beyond. That's where Atlanta has an edge with the potential to retain more GT grads specifically and it already draws college grads from elsewhere in Georgia and surrounding states; landing Amazon would just naturally amplify that effect and Atlanta wouldn't even have to do much to sell itself in this regard.

[hilltop180]

It should be interesting. I would think Boston and DC have an edge and I think it is because of the larger talent base and better transit. Still talked to a friend of mine who lives in Boston. The housing market is insane up there. He said people are winning out on bids for him with houses by offering up cash for 500K homes. If Atlanta gets the bid hopefully it would not make average homes unaffordable. It would open up a lot of job opportunities but for me personally not seeing how get Amazon HQ2 would benefit me. I would like to see my home value go up but not sure that would just price me out of the next step up for my home.

[908kiddo]

I don't think the talent problem is an enormous concern for Amazon. Imo between the existing universities in the Atlanta area/Georgia, combined with the people who already moving down here straight after school who are from various states, combined with the talent that is and will relocate here with their companies who are relocating here, combined with all of the tech start ups that are already here and moving here, I think Atlanta is in more than great shape to suit Amazon's employment needs. And that's not even including the people who Amazon will recruit directly to work here in the city.


I think they're more concerned about being in a city that is already nationally/globally recognized that can stand on its own, but where they can still have a heavy influence/impact on the city and the culture through growth, implementation, and flexible innovation, as well as being in an area where housing costs are low(er) and where there's still room to expand.


I think Boston is a longer shot than what this board may suggest. The culture there doesn't exactly fit Amazon's and there's not many places to grow or for future employees to move to; these are extremely critical factors that can't be overlooked. A quick realtor search says that there's 135 available homes in the Boston metro that are under 300k compared to 9000+ in Atlanta. The talent pool there is great, but moving MIT/Harvard/Tufts/Babson grads to Atlanta is a nickel in Amazon's checkbook. In the DC metro, I think they get swallowed out by the dominant culture there which is the Gov, I don't know how they leave their mark...and last time I checked DC wasn't necessarily drowning in prominent corporate headquarters. DC also suffers from a similar housing crisis as Boston.

I think Atlanta's problems can easily be mitigated through growth and construction, whereas other cities are already on the verge of maxing out their infrastructure. And let's not even mention the preference of weather here compared to other places.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by 908kiddo

I don't think the talent problem is an enormous concern for Amazon. Imo between the existing universities in the Atlanta area/Georgia, combined with the people who already moving down here straight after school who are from various states, combined with the talent that is and will relocate here with their companies who are relocating here, combined with all of the tech start ups that are already here and moving here, I think Atlanta is in more than great shape to suit Amazon's employment needs. And that's not even including the people who Amazon will recruit directly to work here in the city.


I think they're more concerned about being in a city that is already nationally/globally recognized that can stand on its own, but where they can still have a heavy influence/impact on the city and the culture through growth, implementation, and flexible innovation, as well as being in an area where housing costs are low(er) and where there's still room to expand.


I think Boston is a longer shot than what this board may suggest. The culture there doesn't exactly fit Amazon's and there's not many places to grow or for future employees to move to; these are extremely critical factors that can't be overlooked. A quick realtor search says that there's 135 available homes in the Boston metro that are under 300k compared to 9000+ in Atlanta. The talent pool there is great, but moving MIT/Harvard/Tufts/Babson grads to Atlanta is a nickel in Amazon's checkbook. In the DC metro, I think they get swallowed out by the dominant culture there which is the Gov, I don't know how they leave their mark...and last time I checked DC wasn't necessarily drowning in prominent corporate headquarters. DC also suffers from a similar housing crisis as Boston.

I think Atlanta's problems can easily be mitigated through growth and construction, whereas other cities are already on the verge of maxing out their infrastructure. And let's not even mention the preference of weather here compared to other places.

Well said. Great post.

[JoeP]

In the DC metro, I think they get swallowed out by the dominant culture there which is the Gov,

There are countless companies - many large companies whose hq is in the DC metro.
Saying that they would be "swallowed out" is an empty point.

[908kiddo]

Originally Posted by JoeP

There are countless companies - many large companies whose hq is in the DC metro.
Saying that they would be "swallowed out" is an empty point.

I've spent years in the DC metro. The only companies which have a noteworthy footprint in DC are the aerospace and defense companies and a few IT-based companies. The rest are mostly government catered, and then a few specs sprinkled in here and there.

Imo, a company of Amazon's caliber doesn't want to go from being "It" in Seattle to being second fiddle and kinda thrown into what is already DC. I mean why would you if you're making a decision this huge? It's not like its just another office site. I think they will become an after-thought in DC, and good luck with influencing DC's culture/infrastructure (which is what I believe they're after).

I think while Arlington/NoVa can be interesting, you still have to consider CoL and housing costs

[earthlyfather]

The thing that strikes me about the talent issue is that tech, certainly Amazon, is known for attracting talent to a locale, if all other facets are 'good enough'-to-good, or better. ATL is 'good enough'-to-good, or better.

Keep in mind that great point of wisdom espoused in Field of Dreams, the movie.

Build it. They will come.

[Atlwarrior]

I believe the AT&T was a candidate for Amazon...hmm per ABC “Midtown’s landmark AT&T Tower is gearing up for a renovation project, just months after its major tenant AT&T (NYSE: AT&T) announced it would vacate the 46-story building.

The project will include an interior lobby renovation, along with a new shade canopy and turf area in the plaza to allow for outdoor events, according to an agenda from the Midtown Alliance. The project is expected to be heard by Midtown’s Development Review Committee on July 17.”