Well. It's official. (Birmingham, Bessemer: how much, home, employment)

[cooldiver]

Originally Posted by MinivanDriver

Actually, the region's proposal for the headquarters is what spurred Amazon to consider the metro for this facility in the first place.

https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingh...higher-in.html

That article doesn't provide much in the way of evidence, as it quotes one anonymous "local official" to make the argument.

Now that Amazon has settled its sales tax issue nationwide (including Alabama), it is plopping fulfillment centers everywhere. Prior to the settlements, Amazon tried to avoid paying sales taxes in states where it had no physical presence. A fulfillment center of course constitutes a physical presence, which Amazon previously was incentivized to avoid. With the settlements, that is no longer the case. Amazon can now place its centers wherever needed to put product closer to customers. This saves shipping expenses particularly for Prime customers who are guaranteed two day delivery.

Now Tennessee has five centers, Florida has five, Georgia has three, Mississippi has zero, and Alabama soon will have one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...nd_warehousing

It only makes sense from a network planning perspective to drop one into Alabama's largest metro area which is also reasonably well centered for most of the state's major population centers. Amazon has a lot of smart people running the logistics and fulfillment side of the business. And if you look at the list, there are a LOT of fulfillment centers. I'm kind of dubious that any city's campaign for the second headquarters has a tie to landing a fulfillment center.

But this is a big one, and congrats to Bessemer and the BHM metro! (And congrats to the future employees!)

[steveklein]

Originally Posted by cooldiver

That article doesn't provide much in the way of evidence, as it quotes one anonymous "local official" to make the argument.

Now that Amazon has settled its sales tax issue nationwide (including Alabama), it is plopping fulfillment centers everywhere. Prior to the settlements, Amazon tried to avoid paying sales taxes in states where it had no physical presence. A fulfillment center of course constitutes a physical presence, which Amazon previously was incentivized to avoid. With the settlements, that is no longer the case. Amazon can now place its centers wherever needed to put product closer to customers. This saves shipping expenses particularly for Prime customers who are guaranteed two day delivery.

Now Tennessee has five centers, Florida has five, Georgia has three, Mississippi has zero, and Alabama soon will have one.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_o...nd_warehousing

It only makes sense from a network planning perspective to drop one into Alabama's largest metro area which is also reasonably well centered for most of the state's major population centers. Amazon has a lot of smart people running the logistics and fulfillment side of the business. And if you look at the list, there are a LOT of fulfillment centers. I'm kind of dubious that any city's campaign for the second headquarters has a tie to landing a fulfillment center.

But this is a big one, and congrats to Bessemer and the BHM metro! (And congrats to the future employees!)

This.

I can't believe people really think Birmingham's bid had much to do with this.

[jero23]

I believe it has a lot to do with the motivation of regional cooperation, something that has not really existed in the Birmingham (metro area) at all. The idea of working together to recruit business opportunities to the region is what most of the other 49 metro areas within the top 50 does. Birmingham has to play off of its strengths, which are logistics/distribution, tech, biotech, financial services, and healthcare/medical research.

[Mississippi Alabama Line]

Originally Posted by jero23

I believe it has a lot to do with the motivation of regional cooperation, something that has not really existed in the Birmingham (metro area) at all. The idea of working together to recruit business opportunities to the region is what most of the other 49 metro areas within the top 50 does. Birmingham has to play off of its strengths, which are logistics/distribution, tech, biotech, financial services, and healthcare/medical research.

Whoa now, let's not go too far. The 3 in bold, yeah, but tech?

Just because there are some tech startups downtown doesn't mean we're some blooming metropolis for that sort of thing. The ship has kinda sailed on that. Sure, we need to cultivate it, but it's far from a strength.

[_OT]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

Whoa now, let's not go too far. The 3 in bold, yeah, but tech?

Just because there are some tech startups downtown doesn't mean we're some blooming metropolis for that sort of thing. The ship has kinda sailed on that. Sure, we need to cultivate it, but it's far from a strength.

1. There’s multiple fields of Tech
2. There’s a Tech presence in ever major city, can’t be one without it, especially in 2018 and beyond.

[jero23]

Originally Posted by Mississippi Alabama Line

Whoa now, let's not go too far. The 3 in bold, yeah, but tech?

Just because there are some tech startups downtown doesn't mean we're some blooming metropolis for that sort of thing. The ship has kinda sailed on that. Sure, we need to cultivate it, but it's far from a strength.

In the past 5 years, the City is known to the outside world for its tech activity to be a great place especially for startups and young entrepreneurship in that field. Biotech has long been a part of the Birmingham economic landscape, but its just gotten its due in the past few years. Those are two of the City's strength's. The fact that the economic development leadership and for the most part the political leadership until recently been too busy being lackluster or inept does not overshadow those facts. Now individuals in those positions are making moves and I am certain some of that will be reflected in the next few years to decade in overall economic landscape and population.

[steveklein]

I really can't think of too many cities of Birmingham's size that have less opportunities in tech than Birmingham.

I seriously can't tell if some of you guys are being serious or not.

[bfmx1]

Originally Posted by steveklein

I really can't think of too many cities of Birmingham's size that have less opportunities in tech than Birmingham.

I seriously can't tell if some of you guys are being serious or not.

I think they're referring to the increasing tech presence which may be true when you look at Birmingham only. Tech is booming in pretty much every market though. The question is how is Birmingham's tech boom comparing to other cities? I might be moving forward, but if others are moving forward faster, I'm actually falling behind.

To the original point of this thread though. Amazon choosing Birmingham had nothing to do with the proposal. They're putting data centers everywhere but this thread is acting like "the world is finally giving us the recognition we deserve."

Celebrate all wins! But recognize it for what it is. It's just a warehouse in Bessemer that might bring faster shipping that millions have been enjoying for years.

Btw, first time poster.. I was born and raised in Birmingham (Hoover) until my work brought me to Dallas. I like seeing what's going on in Birmingham and the positive changes taking place but I also like to call it like it is.

Much love

[cooldiver]

Originally Posted by bfmx1

Btw, first time poster.. I was born and raised in Birmingham (Hoover) until my work brought me to Dallas. I like seeing what's going on in Birmingham and the positive changes taking place but I also like to call it like it is.

Much love

Welcome to the forum!

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by bfmx1

I think they're referring to the increasing tech presence which may be true when you look at Birmingham only. Tech is booming in pretty much every market though. The question is how is Birmingham's tech boom comparing to other cities? I might be moving forward, but if others are moving forward faster, I'm actually falling behind.

To the original point of this thread though. Amazon choosing Birmingham had nothing to do with the proposal. They're putting data centers everywhere but this thread is acting like "the world is finally giving us the recognition we deserve."

Celebrate all wins! But recognize it for what it is. It's just a warehouse in Bessemer that might bring faster shipping that millions have been enjoying for years.

Btw, first time poster.. I was born and raised in Birmingham (Hoover) until my work brought me to Dallas. I like seeing what's going on in Birmingham and the positive changes taking place but I also like to call it like it is.

Much love

It'll be a nice opportunity for some folks. It'll be a job that some might not have otherwise, albeit a relatively low-paying job. It presumably will bring construction jobs while the warehouse/whatever it's called is being built.