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View Poll Results: HQ2 location?
Atlanta, GA 109 18.47%
Austin, TX 44 7.46%
Boston, MA 52 8.81%
Chicago, IL 85 14.41%
Columbus, OH 27 4.58%
Dallas, TX 71 12.03%
Denver, CO 29 4.92%
Indianapolis, IN 33 5.59%
Los Angeles, CA 12 2.03%
Miami, FL 16 2.71%
Montgomery County, MD 27 4.58%
Nashville, TN 26 4.41%
Newark, NJ 22 3.73%
New York, NY 23 3.90%
Northern Virginia 65 11.02%
Philadelphia, PA 51 8.64%
Pittsburgh, PA 47 7.97%
Raleigh, N.C. 43 7.29%
Toronto, ON 31 5.25%
Washington, D.C. 72 12.20%
Other (Specify) 13 2.20%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 590. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 04-20-2018, 01:26 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,489,726 times
Reputation: 8758

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Quote:
Originally Posted by NOVA_guy View Post
Yep, this is the point I was making earlier in this thread.

I could be wrong but I just don’t see them going anywhere in Georgia, North Carolina, etc. A lot of these big tech corporations are pretty elitist, there’s no way they’d go to a red state no matter how liberal a city within that state maybe.
I'd like to hope Amazon is bit more sophisticated in its analysis than the very simplistic "red state" v. "blue state" nonsense (which are social constructs contrived by the media that have seriously done more destruction to our social and political discourse over the past 15-20 years than anything else I can think of).

Yes, I completely understand that a factor like protections for the LGBT community means a lot to Amazon, as it should (and Amazon, if it was so politically inclined, could actually use its desire for progressive policy as a bargaining chip to influence state policies where they are deficient--otherwise, they are completely throwing away an opportunity to make change).

But overall, outside of state approval for something like financial incentives, it's local politics that matter most in the scheme of things. Obviously Atlanta doesn't automatically equate to Georgia just as Seattle doesn't automatically equate to Washington State.

Last edited by Duderino; 04-20-2018 at 01:36 PM..
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Old 04-20-2018, 01:36 PM
 
2,251 posts, read 2,366,176 times
Reputation: 2716
Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
I'd like to hope Amazon is bit more sophisticated in its analysis than the very simplistic "red state" v. "blue state" nonsense (which are social constructs contrived by the media that have seriously done more destruction to our social and political discourse over the past 15-20 years than anything else I can think of).

Yes, I completely understand that a factor like protections for the LGBT community means a lot to Amazon, as it should (and Amazon, if it was so politically inclined, could actually use its desire for progressive policy as a bargaining chip to influence state policies where they are deficient--otherwise, they are completely throwing away an opportunity to make change).

But overall, outside of state approval for something like financial incentives, it's local politics that matters most in the scheme of things. Obviously Atlanta doesn't automatically equate to Georgia just as Seattle doesn't automatically equate to Washington State.
Calling a state a “red state” or “blue state” is a simple term to describe what can be pretty complex which is a state and their politics. Politics matter when it comes to business especially in the Trump era, it’s easy to dismiss it but it’s actially pretty consequential and matters when large corporations are looking at where to relocate.
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Old 04-20-2018, 01:41 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,489,726 times
Reputation: 8758
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOVA_guy View Post
Calling a state a “red state” or “blue state” is a simple term to describe what can be pretty complex which is a state and their politics. Politics matter when it comes to business especially in the Trump era, it’s easy to dismiss it but it’s actially pretty consequential and matters when large corporations are looking at where to relocate.
Right. I'm not dismissing the importance of politics, but no two states are the same, even among "red states" and "blue states."

And Tip O'Neill's truism about all politics being local still very much applies in business decisions. No matter where Amazon locates, it's going to be interacting FAR more often with City Hall than the State Capital.
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Old 04-20-2018, 02:21 PM
 
8,256 posts, read 17,250,408 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
Right. I'm not dismissing the importance of politics, but no two states are the same, even among "red states" and "blue states."

And Tip O'Neill's truism about all politics being local still very much applies in business decisions. No matter where Amazon locates, it's going to be interacting FAR more often with City Hall than the State Capital.
It will be interacting with the city, but the state level laws still apply. Look at all the southern states passing statewide laws that overpower the local progressive cities' decisions. From the Confederate monuments to LGBT ordinances to marijuana laws and more. Austin and Atlanta are safe havens for liberals and minorities in the regions, but their state governments could still, at any point, strip the minorities of their civil rights. Why risk that when you can just plop your HQ into a liberal state and never worry whether or not your LGBT employees will be discriminated against one day?
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Old 04-20-2018, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Boston Metrowest (via the Philly area)
7,246 posts, read 10,489,726 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jessemh431 View Post
It will be interacting with the city, but the state level laws still apply. Look at all the southern states passing statewide laws that overpower the local progressive cities' decisions.
That's a fair point about states usurping local authority, but on the contrary, you can bet Amazon would have significant leverage over any state in which it chooses to locate.

For example, I think that both the Texas and Georgia legislatures would be changing their socially conservative tune pretty quickly if Amazon made an offer to locate in either Austin/Dallas or Atlanta, respectively, contingent upon passage of state-level LGBT protections. Can you imagine how ridiculous any state would look if they turned such an offer down?
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Old 04-20-2018, 10:11 PM
 
8,753 posts, read 6,674,180 times
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They'd have huge leverage. They'll be able to play two cities off each other for decades, as well separately playing off one city's aspirations.
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:37 AM
 
13,942 posts, read 14,823,775 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duderino View Post
That's a fair point about states usurping local authority, but on the contrary, you can bet Amazon would have significant leverage over any state in which it chooses to locate.

For example, I think that both the Texas and Georgia legislatures would be changing their socially conservative tune pretty quickly if Amazon made an offer to locate in either Austin/Dallas or Atlanta, respectively, contingent upon passage of state-level LGBT protections. Can you imagine how ridiculous any state would look if they turned such an offer down?
I actually think that would backfire, people really don't like being told what to do and it's not like they need the jobs.

It would be 100% seen as a stand for democracy against corporate Interests
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Old 04-21-2018, 08:22 AM
 
Location: The City
22,379 posts, read 38,686,087 times
Reputation: 7975
Brandywine moves forward with land acquisitions for Schuylkill Yards plan - Philly
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Old 04-21-2018, 06:14 PM
 
Location: Colorado Springs
3,959 posts, read 4,333,615 times
Reputation: 5267
Quote:
Originally Posted by NOVA_guy View Post
Calling a state a “red state” or “blue state” is a simple term to describe what can be pretty complex which is a state and their politics. Politics matter when it comes to business especially in the Trump era, it’s easy to dismiss it but it’s actially pretty consequential and matters when large corporations are looking at where to relocate.

Agreed and in this case, Amazon will need to really look at the balance of business friendly climates with the backdrop of progressive social legislation. Will Amazon go for many millions of dollars in business benefits to put itself in a less socially progressive state? Will they prefer to loose financial benefit to locate to a state with more liberal policies and laws? What is the break even point of business gain against social issues?

I'm sure Amazon has a weighting formula for determining this, as well as ever other factor in their criteria, and it no doubt will be part of their consideration in selection.
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Old 04-21-2018, 10:18 PM
 
Location: St Simons Island, GA
23,309 posts, read 43,763,348 times
Reputation: 16418
Quote:
Originally Posted by JMatl View Post
As you have stated ad nauseam. This is nothing more more than the wishful thinking of a Chicago homer.
And the desperately unhappy and bitter "Anti-Atlanta" Troll-O-Rama that we put up with here on a daily basis.
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