Where Will Amazon Build their NEW Headquarters? (live in, cost of living)
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First guess would be:
N VA/ Baltimore
Toronto
Boston
Pittsburgh
Detroit
Dark horse could be Cleveland which beat out other cities in getting the RNC in 2016
Checks off many requirements in RFP (Which has its own conflict in asking for 100 acres of 'greenfield' yet wanting multiple transit options and being pedestrian friendly). What major city of over 1 million in metro region has a 100 acre greenfield with good transit options / connectivity? Anyone know of any that are not brownfields?
1) The International Airport (once a Continental hub) is capable of easily scaling back up as it has a mothballed Regional jet terminal that Continental built. Recently began again with flights to Iceland.
2) The airport connects to the CBD in 25 minutes as well as has a Corporate Jet airport right on Lakefront which enables top execs to fly in and be in HQ within 15-20 minute taxi ride (they like that as they don't have to mingle with masses).
3) Infrastructure is built out from being a legacy industrial city. Sits on Fiber optic trunk line between NYC and Chicago (connectivity speed).
4) Existing commercial office space sitting 5-minute walk from transit hub to meet initial office phase needs and lots of contiguous surface parking infill sites (already proposed for redevelopment but stalled) nearby which could be built into a downtown campus as well as be pedestrian / bike friendly.
5) They could essentially build themselves a corporate village campus on the lakefront as part of the below project which would be connected by light rail (currently underused) to CBD transit center with entertainment district (Flats East Bank) on stops. Dick Pace, Trammell Crow tapped as Cleveland lakefront developers with big housing plans | cleveland.com
Could easily become Amazons Corporate Village on the Lake with an iconic tower modeled to Bezos desire where Progressive Insurance founder (Peter B Lewis) once wanted to put tallest building with his "Art Collection" in lower levels as focal point. Bezos could claim putting one there to 'see Canada' would help signify his unifying North American HQ.
6) Within close proximity to concentration of higher educational institutions and... thinking of Bezos as a market expanding Napoleon - may want to tap into Medical Tech which the area has strong research. Regionally centered between manufacturing robotics strong Michigan/Indiana and Western PA/ NY State due to auto and other manufacturers. Bezos could attempt to dominate the growing robotics sector.
7) Small enough 'big city' he could 'control' it and the easily bought political leaders who would bend over at command. Its a 'vote tipping' node in a 'swing state' which if he has political puppeteer ambitions would provide strong political leverage. [Think Marcus Hanna the President maker] https://www.britannica.com/biography/Mark-Hanna
Bezos is same type with a different political label.
8) Recruiting would simply need to show quality of life for the dollar. Amenities of a larger city due to past industrial might. 2nd largest theater entertainment district outside of NYC, lots of great parks and green spaces and gentrifying nearby downtown neighborhoods that appeal to the younger workers.
Plenty of affordable housing across the suburban/exurban landscape and a reviving downtown. If you pay people enough they can go on vacations when the weather is bad. Four months of bad weather is analogous to Pacific NW dreariness. Can recruit from large region (40 percent of USA population is within 500 miles) and provide recent grads a reasonable COL.
9) Good continuity of business HQ (insert disaster of choice) and not as much of 'target' as Bo-Wash Atlantic corridor.
Re: Cleveland.
See posts 33 and 39 and more in this thread. It has among the lowest cost housing in the U.S., especially compared to other cities with similar urban amenities.
I don't get why getting a political convention is mentioned. Conventions require an adequately sized convention center, X number of hotel rooms and a big ass check to the political party from the city and state.
I've been hearing tons whispers and rumors that Denver has already been chosen, builders already have put in their bids, and Amazon has already started the hiring process.
I get why many people are placing their bets on Denver. However, being it wouldn't make sense for Amazon to have another headquarters so close to home, I'm thinking they will choose a different market.
BTW, it looks like Amazon is hiring in the Denver area -- for fulfillment center roles.
I get why many people are placing their bets on Denver. However, being it wouldn't make sense for Amazon to have another headquarters so close to home, I'm thinking they will choose a different market.
BTW, it looks like Amazon is hiring in the Denver area -- for fulfillment center roles.
But the criteria doesn't really say anything about the location having to be on the other side of the country though. Denver's also not even that close to Seattle. Most of Alabama is closer. Not saying that it's the front runner, but I still think Denver has a good change!
But the criteria doesn't really say anything about the location having to be on the other side of the country though. Denver's also not eventhat close to Seattle. Most of Alabama is closer. Not saying that it's the front runner, but I still think Denver has a good change!
I find that hard to believe, unless you mean Alabama is closer to Seattle going East (around the planet), then yes it is!
... Denver's also not even that close to Seattle. Most of Alabama is closer. Not saying that it's the front runner, but I still think Denver has a good change!
I think that was meant as: Alabama is closer to Denver than Seattle?
I don't think that location is really their main concern for HQ2. This is all tech work, so really nothing that needs to have a presence in other time zones or exposure to the other coast. But if that's the case, and location doesn't matter, It would it's better to be closer to Seattle?
I actually wouldn't be surprised by Portland now that I think about it. It hasn't been brought up a lot in this discussion, but Portland also checks every single box of requirements. They also get to benefit with being close enough for day trips, but far enough to have a lower COL. As far as quality of life, COL, population size, desirability, and amenities, Portland is a carbon copy of Denver...just with a better tech workforce.
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