Future Amazon Headquarters (Huntsville, Carolina: minimum wage, professionals, money)

[AU HSV]

Actually Huntsville/state should definitely make a bid. It will put the city on radar for future projects and since Blue Origin is planning a facility here Mr. Jeff Bezos is familiar with the region he might consider it.
There are plenty of workers available within a 100 mile radius which is what this thing will draw from.
Plus we would get our infrastructure updated to the 21st century.
The city is looking into it.

[rnc76]

Huntsville doesn't have a chance IMO, simply not enough of a labor pool. It also doesn't fit many of the other criteria. I think in the SE, Atlanta is probably the leading candidate.

I would love to see Detroit get it. Might be a long shot but imagine what that would do for that city. There are 2 huge, well respected universities nearby, UM and MSU. Also it would be a draw for talent out of all the Big 10 schools, which are universally top notch public universities (plus Northwestern, a top notch private university). It would be like a blank slate, Bezos could redefine a once great American city. That aspect might play to his ego a bit. I doubt it would happen because it would be a riskier business move but I would love to see that experiment unfold.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by AU HSV

Actually Huntsville/state should definitely make a bid. It will put the city on radar for future projects and since Blue Origin is planning a facility here Mr. Jeff Bezos is familiar with the region he might consider it.
There are plenty of workers available within a 100 mile radius which is what this thing will draw from.
Plus we would get our infrastructure updated to the 21st century.
The city is looking into it.

It certainly wouldn't hurt to put in a bid. If they want an international airport, we already have the bones of one ... two really long runways and plenty of space for expansion.

[AU HSV]

Originally Posted by rnc76

Huntsville doesn't have a chance IMO, simply not enough of a labor pool. It also doesn't fit many of the other criteria. I think in the SE, Atlanta is probably the leading candidate.

I would love to see Detroit get it. Might be a long shot but imagine what that would do for that city. There are 2 huge, well respected universities nearby, UM and MSU. Also it would be a draw for talent out of all the Big 10 schools, which are universally top notch public universities (plus Northwestern, a top notch private university). It would be like a blank slate, Bezos could redefine a once great American city. That aspect might play to his ego a bit. I doubt it would happen because it would be a riskier business move but I would love to see that experiment unfold.

besides Huntsville I think Detroit would be a game changing choice. Its a great city underneath all of the garbage.
Never say never when it cones to visionaries like Bezos

[Knox Harrington]

I think Detroit could make a really great case.

I think it's important to remember that MANY of these 50,000 jobs will be filled by people moving there from out of state. Nobody expects any area to have 50,000 highly-educated people looking for work. Remember, these aren't assembly line jobs, they are Amazon headquarters jobs. Most will come from other places, and yes, many will come from other countries.

Since someone brought up Bezos, I think it's important to note that I don't think he will ever consider making that kind of investment in a state that is about to send Roy Moore to the Senate. I hate to bring politics into it, but Bezos is a very outspoken progressive.

[RocketDawg]

Originally Posted by Knox Harrington

I think Detroit could make a really great case.

I think it's important to remember that MANY of these 50,000 jobs will be filled by people moving there from out of state. Nobody expects any area to have 50,000 highly-educated people looking for work. Remember, these aren't assembly line jobs, they are Amazon headquarters jobs. Most will come from other places, and yes, many will come from other countries.

Since someone brought up Bezos, I think it's important to note that I don't think he will ever consider making that kind of investment in a state that is about to send Roy Moore to the Senate. I hate to bring politics into it, but Bezos is a very outspoken progressive.

I hope to goodness you're wrong about that, and I'm not a "progressive". But I think you're right about what you said.

[Knox Harrington]

Originally Posted by RocketDawg

I hope to goodness you're wrong about that, and I'm not a "progressive". But I think you're right about what you said.

I hope I'm wrong about Moore as well, but I don't live in Alabama.

It's just reality in business in 2017.

Look at North Carolina and the revenue they lost out on when they passed HB2.

These decisions can cost states and municipalities millions and billions of dollars.

[Nlambert]

On my last work trip to Chambersburg, PA we had to detour through the back country to get to the Harrisburg Airport to catch our flight. In the middle of nowhere, amidst nothing but corn fields rose an Amazon fulfillment center.


We were talking to some of the people we went to visit and they said that people drive from over an hour away to work there because of similar issues with the hiring pool. I would assume that if the area was centralized enough to make sense they might consider putting one in. But admittedly I don't know all of their criteria and their "got to haves" to make it happen. I do think it would be a good thing though. It may even pull in people from other cities and towns nearby to help fill the employment gaps.

[bmrisko]

Originally Posted by Nlambert

On my last work trip to Chambersburg, PA we had to detour through the back country to get to the Harrisburg Airport to catch our flight. In the middle of nowhere, amidst nothing but corn fields rose an Amazon fulfillment center.


We were talking to some of the people we went to visit and they said that people drive from over an hour away to work there because of similar issues with the hiring pool. I would assume that if the area was centralized enough to make sense they might consider putting one in. But admittedly I don't know all of their criteria and their "got to haves" to make it happen. I do think it would be a good thing though. It may even pull in people from other cities and towns nearby to help fill the employment gaps.

Amazon is looking to build a 2nd HQ, not a fulfillment center. The quality of their workforce will be need to be MUCH different than their hourly warehouse workers.

[Nlambert]

I get that, but in that regard it should be even easier to make a case for the Huntsville metro area. Huntsville is heavy on business degreed types of people who could fulfill the need for a financial department, management, logistics, etc...