Amazon solicits bids from North American cities for a second HQ (Columbus: 2015, construction)

[jmecklenborg]

Cincinnati is the clear frontrunner for the state of Ohio.


1. Amazon Prime Air Hub under construction as we speak at CVG. Will eventually employ over 3,000 people. Airport has a much larger physical capacity than any other in the region, leftover from the Delta Hub.
2. Kroger HQ -- opportunity for Amazon to pillage Kroger's marketing and analytics talent
3. Macy's HQ -- opportunity for Amazon to pillage Macy's marketing and analytics talent
4. Cincinnati has a modern streetcar system -- the Amazon HQ in Seattle is situated along their new streetcar line

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by jbcmh81

I'm sure every major Ohio city is clamoring to put an incentives package together (like every other US major city). Here's how I see it in terms of strengths and weaknesses against the 3-Cs.


Cleveland
Pros: Diverse population, cheap COL, cheap land, a history of being able to get big projects done, decent cultural amenities, good location relative to US population.
Cons: Falling population, not particularly well-educated compared to peers, no particularly strong tech workforce, transit exists but may not be extensive enough, too small of an airport.

Cincinnati
Pros: Cheap COL, cheap land, growing region, fairly strong economy, good location relative to US population, nice historic neighborhoods.
Cons: Bad transit, too small of an airport, lacking much diversity and not strong growth in those demographics, middle-range educated population.

Columbus
Pros: Cheap COL, cheap land, growing region, quickly growing diversity, strong economy, strong educational presence, strong distribution capabilities, good location relative to US population.
Cons: Bad transit, too small of an airport, may not be diverse enough for the requirement, may be too small of an urban area.


The biggest flaws with each is the small airport and bad transit. Proximity to large US cities can make up for the bad airports to some degree, but transit is an obvious issue. I also don't think any of them provide the type of amenities that would be attractive to that type of company. I guess we'll see.

As for CLE, its metro area education rate is better than the city alone, as would be the case with CIN as well I imagine. CIN is growing but is still not great.

Actually, all 3Cs need to get more competitive; even Columbus, as other cities are growing faster and will overtake it, despite its real growth.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

Cincinnati is the clear frontrunner for the state of Ohio.


1. Amazon Prime Air Hub under construction as we speak at CVG. Will eventually employ over 3,000 people. Airport has a much larger physical capacity than any other in the region, leftover from the Delta Hub.
2. Kroger HQ -- opportunity for Amazon to pillage Kroger's marketing and analytics talent
3. Macy's HQ -- opportunity for Amazon to pillage Macy's marketing and analytics talent
4. Cincinnati has a modern streetcar system -- the Amazon HQ in Seattle is situated along their new streetcar line

I knew that streetcar point would come-up...lol. Calling The Connector ''a system'' is a stretch, even by CIN standards.

Can't you start a ''Amazon HDQ coming to CIN'' thread in the CIN forum?

[jmecklenborg]

Sure, but it would attract the hoards of trolls who ruined this site 10 years ago and still spend a lot of time here. I've seen various anti-City-Data threads on other forums and everyone quickly arrives at the same conclusions.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

Sure, but it would attract the hoards of trolls who ruined this site 10 years ago and still spend a lot of time here. I've seen various anti-City-Data threads on other forums and everyone quickly arrives at the same conclusions.

Huh?

Btw, no one in the CLE thread is stating that CIN is in no way getting the Amazon deal or even that CLE has the best chance in OH of landing this. Unlike a recent national event competition that CLE won and CIN was jealous of...lot of negativity from CIN before CLE won it, up to and during the RNC. Thanks again CIN for sending any cops to help out at CLE's RNC, unlike in-state Columbus and cops as far away as California. Great training for Columbus though as it will land a national political convention before CIN-it's called forward thinking, not jealous thinking.

OK, so of the 2 CIN entries in the CLE Amazon thread, one had to make sure to state that the discussion shouldn't even be going on and you chime in with CIN is the best location in OH, a place that can't even muster up the conversation...got it. Both posters being bothered that the discussion is going in CLE at all, and you being the urbanohio.com poster stating that CIN cheered CLE's decline in the '80s...got it, again. Please remind us all again that CIN doesn't have a hang-up about CLE.

Who knows where Amazon will go.

[jmecklenborg]

You obviously want attention. Face it, Cincinnati has huge advantages in this decision over Columbus and Cleveland.


My guess is that it's going to go to Boston. Amazon did this big announcement to get a lot of free publicity, but no doubt they've already got it narrowed down to three places at most.

[j_ws]

I think it'll definitely be an east coast hub. I'm still betting on Philly having a decent shot (as I mentioned before) and I think Amazon would fit in well with a development such as this one: https://philly.curbed.com/2017/8/24/...n-philadelphia

Comcast is also currently completing the second tower of their downtown campus, so the city isn't unfamiliar with large scale corporate urban campus developments.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by jmecklenborg

You obviously want attention. Face it, Cincinnati has huge advantages in this decision over Columbus and Cleveland.


My guess is that it's going to go to Boston. Amazon did this big announcement to get a lot of free publicity, but no doubt they've already got it narrowed down to three places at most.

Was hoping you wouldn't figure out that my need for attention is based on CIN's huge advantages over CLE.

With these huge advantages, why is no one even discussing Amazon down there and at least reassuring itself that CIN is way better than COL and CLE.

CIN may not win Amazon but CIN will always win the Jan Brady of Ohio Cities competition.

[Kamms]

Originally Posted by j_ws

I think it'll definitely be an east coast hub. I'm still betting on Philly having a decent shot (as I mentioned before) and I think Amazon would fit in well with a development such as this one: https://philly.curbed.com/2017/8/24/...n-philadelphia

Comcast is also currently completing the second tower of their downtown campus, so the city isn't unfamiliar with large scale corporate urban campus developments.

Agreed. Philly should be a real contender for this Amazon prize. There's talk of a 3rd Comcast Tower as well btw. Philly is moving forward in general and in the Schuykill River area in West Center City in particular.

Being adjacent to the Amtrak's 30th Street Station midway between DC-NYC with high-speed service coming is a great location for Amazon or any business. Regardless, if Amazon passes on Philly, this area will keep growing.

[j_ws]

I agree. Philly has been doing a lot of things right and the current city compared to the Philadelphia that I knew in middle school is pretty different. This trend holds true for other eastern PA cities as well. Allentown, where Amazon also has a distribution center, has been changing rapidly.

I'd love to see Amazon land in Cleveland (either Midtown or the section of Downton east of Erieview) but I imagine the ability of city government to really win over Bezos is pretty limited. Cleveland does, however, still offer a lot in terms of affordability, transit (RTA is solid for what they have), and space to build up a campus and house employees.