Amazon is looking for a second HQ. Why not, Pittsburgh? (Dublin: organic, best deal)

[okaydorothy]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Well, Amazon also passed on Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Austin, Denver, and Toronto. So, I think it was something other than open mindedness.

Many of those cities that were passed up are very international. I agree, there must have been other issues also.

[Katarina Witt]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Well, Amazon also passed on Los Angeles, Miami, Philadelphia, Chicago, Atlanta, Boston, Dallas, Austin, Denver, and Toronto. So, I think it was something other than open mindedness.

The Colorado governor didn't want them to come. Neither did more than half the public who live in the metro area.
https://www.denverpost.com/2018/01/2...on-hq2-denver/
[i]"If Amazon doesn’t pick D*****, “there will be a sense of relief,” Colorado governor says "[/I
https://www.cnbc.com/2017/12/18/detr...ers-most.html]
https://www.bisnow.com/denver/news/e...o-amazon-87598
"Residents in Atlanta, Pittsburgh and Indianapolis seem to be willing to do whatever it takes to win HQ2, while folks in Austin and Boston are more closely aligned with D*****."

[JoeP]

There were people in all of the finalist locations who didn't want Amazon.

[krogerDisco]

Amazon's business isn't to revive America's heartland, but all it has done is reinforce the imbalance between the coasts and the rest of America. Too much power and influence is being bunched up on the coasts.

https://www.inc.com/guadalupe-gonzal...locations.html

Pittsburgh would have been a good choice, spread the corporate power a bit, cement a former corporate powerhouse as significant again, and still enjoy a bit of the east coast flavor they wanted.

[gg]

Well we gave it a good shot. They just didn't want to come to Pittsburgh I guess. Well done Pittsburgh for giving it a real chance though.

Region's bid for Amazon's HQ2 may have been the biggest of them all | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

[pittsburghaccuweather]

Originally Posted by krogerDisco

Amazon's business isn't to revive America's heartland, but all it has done is reinforce the imbalance between the coasts and the rest of America. Too much power and influence is being bunched up on the coasts.

https://www.inc.com/guadalupe-gonzal...locations.html

Pittsburgh would have been a good choice, spread the corporate power a bit, cement a former corporate powerhouse as significant again, and still enjoy a bit of the east coast flavor they wanted.

I was reading the local articles in the days that followed the announcement. A lot of what was written seemed to be a post mortem analysis of why Pittsburgh didn’t get it. We needed this boost of jobs more than any other city. Pittsburgh and PA combined gave more incentives dollar wise than any of the other finalists. In the end we were just a dollar chasing a dime.

Also, it seems highly unlikely that a major corporate HQ will ever choose the Pittsburgh region for a location. Companies coming to Pittsburgh to save money on salaries are seen as advantageous and a good business decision by some, but in reality that hasn’t panned out now for decades and is really just a feel good talking point. No evidence exists that the local economy or any economy has thrived with lower salaries and wages. Over 62 percent of available jobs locally pay less than the US average. That is a problem. Pittsburgh needs to work to diversify its economy and drop the pie in the sky dream they will be the next Silicon Valley east. The only way lower salaries may work is if you are a new business startup or a small \ midsized company looking to expand. Pittsburgh’s future and hopes of staying relevant as a major city are going to hinge on its ability to diversify with small businesses and expanding branch offices here from large corporations elsewhere.

That doesn’t mean you stop trying to get the big HQ. But the focus needs to be small business growth and diversification. It’s apparent the local leaders hinged all hopes on getting this HQ. So what is the plan now? What’s disappointing is we spent a lot of money and over 400 individuals put time and effort into this bid. So where is all of this support to fix the little things to make this more attractive to outsiders and business? Study after study talks about the skills gap, lack of diversity and how the region needs to consolidate and streamline. Where are all these people to fix those problems?


And to your point amazon doesn’t have a responsibility to help the heartland cities. Like it or not we are part of this region. Other cities have done worse, but we aren’t doing great either. Pittsburgh happens to be smack dab in Probably the most depressed and declining region in the US. And I’m including neighborhing states and cities less than a days drive away. It is difficult to turn that around. The us economy is and has been in good times for the better part of 7 years now. And we are seeing the best Pittsburgh can be right now. I know that is shocking to some but the city isn’t in act 47 and we have good press. This is as good as it gets unless bold changes are made.


The amazon thing was a scam. They knew where they wanted to go. Cities bought this song and dance hook lime and sinker. They played a lot of people for fools

[JoeP]

What Pittsburgh offered is irrelevant, because Amazon also did not choose well over a dozen cities who also offered obscene amounts of money.

And EVERY city also did post mortems.

Maybe if one isn't so biased and read about several cities, one would see that Pittsburgh's situation was not unique.

Next.

[gg]

Originally Posted by pittsburghaccuweather

The amazon thing was a scam. They knew where they wanted to go. Cities bought this song and dance hook lime and sinker. They played a lot of people for fools

It probably was a scam, but you have to put in a bid just incase. You don't just not bid for it. I do agree they knew where they were going. We offered a lot and nothing. It probably was just all BS. Amazon is the future most likely, but I think they are just dominating and then jacking up prices. I have already noticed prices going up on many things including TV shows and just items. Best to shop around. Most places deliver these days anyway. Sometimes Amazon is WAY higher for certain items.

[erieguy]

I don’t know if it was a scam and they knew exactly where they were going before they went through the entire process of picking a location/s, but it was pretty obvious they were never coming to Pittsburgh. Was a lot of wasted money thinking otherwise.

[pittsburghaccuweather]

Originally Posted by gg

It probably was a scam, but you have to put in a bid just incase. You don't just not bid for it. I do agree they knew where they were going. We offered a lot and nothing. It probably was just all BS. Amazon is the future most likely, but I think they are just dominating and then jacking up prices. I have already noticed prices going up on many things including TV shows and just items. Best to shop around. Most places deliver these days anyway. Sometimes Amazon is WAY higher for certain items.

I agree and I even said that in my post. After seeing Peduto, Fitzgerald and the development lady standing up there looking defeated with sad eyes it made me realize they just don’t get it. Somebody on this thread said Pittsburgh can walk and chew gum at the same time. The exact same thing Fitzgerald said a few weeks before the announcement when he was questioned why they seem to be in a holding pattern waiting for amazon.. Heck I wouldn’t be surprised if the poster is Fitzgerald himself. If Pittsburgh can, why do you have to say it can? Show us....

Pittsburgh needs to focus on its future and what it could be good at. It isn’t good at attracting or retaining huge corporate HQ. There is plenty of history to back that up. I can’t figure out if they are just looking for the home run and they can control a large conglomerate as opposed to focusing on small businesss and that being much harder to control and manipulate. Or the fact they just don’t have the motivation to do the hard work to truly rebuild Pittsburgh with small businesses. Or maybe a combination of the two.

You still put in a bid for a company like this, but your main focus needs to be small business. That is what will make or break this city. Again it is sad they spent all this time and money on an amazon bid. Where is all of this help when other stuff needs fixed? Why is this the only time help comes out of the woodwork?

And one of the larger papers said Amazon was a done deal back in early spring. The whole thing was just for show. What about the 5,000 jobs that went to Nashville? That metro doesn’t have 2 million people in it. I have never been there but I’ve heard it is a great city. Maybe we can learn from a smaller city like Nashville