Could the Denver metro be the home of the new Amazon HQ2? (Evergreen: real estate, wages)

[alloo66]

Aurora could get it!

[mic111]

Originally Posted by Mezter

Wow, how disappointing was this thread? I definitely think Denver has a great chance. It literally meets all their criteria. Idk where people are getting the idea that it has to be an East Coast city.

I think people are scared that 50,000 people will fall out of the sky next year. But the RFP says as many 50,000 over the next 10-15 years.

"The Project is a second corporate headquarters (HQ2), at which Amazon will hire as many as fifty
thousand (50,000) new full-time employees with an average annual total compensation exceeding
one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) over the next ten to fifteen years, following
commencement of operations. The Project is expected to have over $5 billion in capital expenditures
as described in more detail in this RFP."

Here is the link to the original RFP. It is better to read it than the news articles.
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon....516043504_.pdf

It isn't like Denver metro won't be gaining "as many as 50,000" jobs over the next 15 years anyways so it might as well be well paying job and the prestige and business dealings that come with a company like Amazon. My guess is they start with about 3000-6000, mostly technical, while they work out the logistics of having 2 HQs.

[cjseliga]

Originally Posted by jamesdenver

An excellent article:

Your city will lose the contest for Amazon’s new HQ.

I posted something in another thread about Amazon HQ2, stating that after looking at all of their demands/desires/wishes, I don't think there is any "perfect" location in North America out there already, like the author of the article mentions. It will undoubtedly come down to the tax credits/breaks/incentives and which, if any, of those requirements Bezos favors over others.

[pikabike]

Why on earth should big, thriving companies be given tax breaks to kill off taxpaying businesses who are already there?!!?? Seems they like the idea of competing, but NOT if they have to play under the same terms as others!

It might make sense for locating to a city that needs to attract a major employer and (hopefully) renew a sagging local economy and has lots of underused infrastructure, but not for cities that are already booming.

If the jobs really do pay as well as so glowingly touted, they don't even need to move to a place with a big, well-educated workforce. People will relocate.

Can't wait to see which companies they smother by stealing their workers, who will then get laid off when business drops a little bit.

[lovely40]

Originally Posted by Mike from back east

I suspect Charlotte would be cut due to NC's transgender bathroom bill. I can't recall if that law was rescinded but even if it was the stigma of such thinking would scare off a lot of potential employees for the firm.

True. A lot of companies dropped Charlotte from consideration when the trans bathroom bill surfaced. Honestly, I can't see a company of Amazon's stature being headquartered in Charlotte. Even though it gets alot of praise CLT is still such a backwards, hillbilly town. Racial prejudice is alive and thriving there. It actually sounds good on paper until you live there. Nothing special about the town at all. I lasted less than a year there 2013-2013.

[Mike from back east]

Originally Posted by lovely40

True. A lot of companies dropped Charlotte from consideration when the trans bathroom bill surfaced. Honestly, I can't see a company of Amazon's stature being headquartered in Charlotte. Even though it gets alot of praise CLT is still such a backwards, hillbilly town. Racial tension is high. Sounds good on paper until you actually live there. Nothing special about the town at all. I lasted less than a year there 2013-2013.

Speaking of racial tension....we had a regular poster in the COLO SPGS forum, school teacher, great mom, solid citizen, an Air Force wife. Got re-assigned to Langley AFB near Newport News, VA. She wrote back that racism there was so bad she couldn't wait to leave and get back to COLO. IMO anywhere east of the Mississippi River and below the Mason Dixon Line has serious racism issues; my hometown of Baltimore sure does.

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by pikabike

Why on earth should big, thriving companies be given tax breaks to kill off taxpaying businesses who are already there?!!?? Seems they like the idea of competing, but NOT if they have to play under the same terms as others!

Unfortunately, it's how the game works... If a city can see an overall gain in time, they will give them everything they ask for and more!

Originally Posted by cjseliga

It will undoubtedly come down to the tax credits/breaks/incentives and which, if any, of those requirements Bezos favors over others.

Incentives are important, but they need happy employees too.

Originally Posted by lovely40

Nothing special about the town at all. I lasted less than a year there 2013-2013.

I would say the same about Atlanta. It's a pitiful city IMO. I also lived in Denver for 6 months about 2 years ago and I think you guys have a serious shot. Denver is a great city with a great vibe. Really enjoyed my time there. However, I think you have the same problem as Chicago in that you're not in the Eastern time zone. Not sure how important that is to Amazon, but seems like it would make sense to land the new HQ in the opposite time zone.

Good luck Denver!

[emm74]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

However, I think you have the same problem as Chicago in that you're not in the Eastern time zone. Not sure how important that is to Amazon, but seems like it would make sense to land the new HQ in the opposite time zone.

Just curious why you think being in the Eastern time zone should be a high priority? I originally thought that they might want to be more towards the East coast, but then realized I couldn't really come up with a reason for saying that.

[flamadiddle]

Originally Posted by emm74

Just curious why you think being in the Eastern time zone should be a high priority? I originally thought that they might want to be more towards the East coast, but then realized I couldn't really come up with a reason for saying that.

Gives them a longer "operating hours" presence. They would have high-level executives/employees readily available for ~12 hours of every day vs. 10 hours if Denver were selected. Given the size of Amazon, that could be a factor. Plus they would have better access to partners and customers on the other side of the US if they went East Coast. I'm leaning toward DC as the pick because it not only checks all their boxes, but also gives them direct access to .Gov.

Plus, Bezos recently purchased a $23M dollar home in DC, which really makes you wonder.

[BornintheSprings]

Dang it I was hoping they would pick the Springs