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Old 10-06-2017, 09:34 AM
 
Location: Pittsburgh
3,298 posts, read 3,892,853 times
Reputation: 3141

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Quote:
Originally Posted by acenturi View Post
I think some of you people need to get that characterization out of your mind. IMO, the reason Pittsburgh won't get Amazon is simply because it's just too small. Amazon needs to be located in a city with a huge infrastructure, including a major international airport and rail system (AMTRAK), to support its 50K new employees and services. My bet is that Amazon views Pittsburgh as it is - a medium size city, which outweighs most other cities its size in technical and healthcare talent, but the previously mentioned deficiencies significantly offset those benefits. I am in the court that Amazon knew the winner before they even issued the RFP and the exercise is principally to extract $ and concessions from that city.
We are the 63 or 64th largest city in the US and dropping in population. Most residents and posters on the forum live under the assumption we are in the top 10 and can compete with the likes of Boston and NYC. It would be nothing short of a miracle for Pittsburgh to land Amazon.
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Old 10-06-2017, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
12,526 posts, read 17,549,480 times
Reputation: 10634
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluecarebear View Post
We are the 63 or 64th largest city in the US and dropping in population. Most residents and posters on the forum live under the assumption we are in the top 10 and can compete with the likes of Boston and NYC. It would be nothing short of a miracle for Pittsburgh to land Amazon.
I don't think that's the case, most people know where this area stands.
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Old 10-06-2017, 09:57 AM
 
Location: Out in the Badlands
10,420 posts, read 10,830,847 times
Reputation: 7801
Maybe they will go offshore in order to save billions on corporate income taxes, being that we have the highest of any 1st world country. FACT CHECK: Does The U.S. Have The Highest Corporate Tax Rate In The World? : NPR
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Old 10-06-2017, 09:58 AM
 
5,894 posts, read 6,883,891 times
Reputation: 4107
Quote:
Originally Posted by Copanut View Post
I don't think that's the case, most people know where this area stands.
Plus even if that’s true, it’s at least nice to think you’re in the running & imagine the possibilities like people do every Opening Day here
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Old 10-06-2017, 10:00 AM
 
1,146 posts, read 1,413,909 times
Reputation: 896
Quote:
Originally Posted by krogerDisco View Post
Apparently, there are some Pittsburghers at the top of Amazon.

Could Amazon execs with Pittsburgh ties deliver HQ2? | TribLIVE

No guarantees, but at least no emphatic no's if Pittsburgh comes up.
Before I read the article I thought it was some random VPs that might only have a dotted line to Bezos that have ties to the area but then I read the article and the CFO has decent ties to the region (undergrad done at PSU). Certainly he can influence Bezos and I assume as CFO he'd have to sign off on the decision too. Interesting. Doesn't really help our chances too much I would guess but doesn't hurt.
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Old 10-06-2017, 10:07 AM
 
Location: Lawrenceville, Pittsburgh
2,109 posts, read 2,160,214 times
Reputation: 1845
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluecarebear View Post
We are the 63 or 64th largest city in the US and dropping in population. Most residents and posters on the forum live under the assumption we are in the top 10 and can compete with the likes of Boston and NYC. It would be nothing short of a miracle for Pittsburgh to land Amazon.
Or 23rd largest MSA. No one says we are top 10, but we are easily middle tier or 3rd tier, if you will.
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Old 10-06-2017, 10:11 AM
 
Location: Manchester
3,110 posts, read 2,918,581 times
Reputation: 3728
And why does population matter anyway? If you have an imaginary city of 100k people, 90% of which hold graduate degrees versus another imaginary city of 2MM, in which only 5% are literate, which is a better city in regards to what Amazon would be looking for?


The hundred some cities trying for this all have some sort of strength and weakness...right now ours are colleges, cost of living, and open land. We also happen to have some people at the table with some links to the region.
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Old 10-06-2017, 11:18 AM
 
994 posts, read 901,302 times
Reputation: 923
Quote:
Originally Posted by acenturi View Post
I think some of you people need to get that characterization out of your mind. IMO, the reason Pittsburgh won't get Amazon is simply because it's just too small. Amazon needs to be located in a city with a huge infrastructure, including a major international airport and rail system (AMTRAK), to support its 50K new employees and services. My bet is that Amazon views Pittsburgh as it is - a medium size city, which outweighs most other cities its size in technical and healthcare talent, but the previously mentioned deficiencies significantly offset those benefits. I am in the court that Amazon knew the winner before they even issued the RFP and the exercise is principally to extract $ and concessions from that city.
I partially agree with this, but I don't think they have one city picked. Probably a group of cities are their favorites, and by opening the big process to everyone, it makes state incentives easier to obtain. For example, suppose they want Philly... it will be easier to get the state of PA to agree to incentives for the winner if Philly, Pittsburgh, Erie, the Lehigh Valley, etc are all putting in bids. But, if Amazon said it was between Philly and Atlanta, then the rest of PA might not see state incentives as such a great thing. Does that make sense?

Anyway, I see Amazon wanting a city with a great rail system where their employees can easily get to and from work via the train. They would also likely want a city that is connected to the airport via rail. In addition, a location that has many new college graduates every year to fill jobs. Pittsburgh has a lot of college students, but is still way behind other cities like Boston, Philly and DC.
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Old 10-06-2017, 11:44 AM
 
3,291 posts, read 2,774,202 times
Reputation: 3375
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mtl-Cns View Post
I tend to agree with this, although I have no idea where they will end up choosing (or already chose as some suggest.) Seattle is not exactly a giant city by any sense. It's barely in the top 20 in the US population-wise. The promise of 50K employees is also not immediate, rather it will build up over decades.

As far as airports go, airline service will grow wherever there is demand. Amtrak service really doesn't matter unless the government decides to start funding it properly.

Yeah I don't see why Amtrak service would matter. Pittsburgh has two routes on Amtrak, which is more than many other cities its size, its just that trains are not all that frequent, and are not high speed. The routes go directly to large important cities (NY, Phila, DC, Chicago).

But in any case I wouldn't think Amtrak would be much of a factor if any. In-city mass transit, commuter rail, and airport I can see as being pretty important though.

Last edited by _Buster; 10-06-2017 at 11:53 AM..
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Old 10-06-2017, 12:07 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
12,526 posts, read 17,549,480 times
Reputation: 10634
Quote:
Originally Posted by UKyank View Post
Plus even if that’s true, it’s at least nice to think you’re in the running & imagine the possibilities like people do every Opening Day here

Now, you're pushing it!
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