Vox - Amazon’s second headquarters and its search for another city to call homehttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52517/voxv.png2018-01-20T08:00:03-05:00http://www.vox.com/rss/stream/162637252018-01-20T08:00:03-05:002018-01-20T08:00:03-05:00Why some cities didn’t make Amazon’s HQ2 finals
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<img alt="US-ENTERTAINMENT-FILM-POST" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/EV9k538j98_XbOkZJbaGVHl01bM=/649x498:4358x3280/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/58389457/893147616.jpg.1516408539.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo credit should read MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>There are lots of reasons, according to the local press.</p> <p id="yZ9237">When Amazon said last year that it was looking for a place to locate its second headquarters, cities around North America inundated it with proposals. Most didn’t make it.</p>
<p id="ijdUsS">In total, Amazon received 238 proposals from cities, states, districts and territories — all hoping for Amazon’s 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in spending. As of yesterday, just <a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/1/18/16905362/amazon-hq2-jeff-bezos-cities-finalist-compare">20 cities are left</a> on the shortlist.</p>
<p id="4pdHjU">Here are a few reasons why some didn’t make the cut, according to local press:</p>
<h2 id="hqMMO4">Baltimore, Maryland</h2>
<p id="I1TmG1">Bad news about crime might have soured Amazon on Baltimore. Or maybe it was the lack of good mass transit.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Did Baltimore's rash of bad news push Amazon away? <a href="https://t.co/7dNMwNnrVZ">https://t.co/7dNMwNnrVZ</a> <a href="https://t.co/s7Y7WF11cq">pic.twitter.com/s7Y7WF11cq</a></p>— Sun Breaking News (@BaltSunBrk) <a href="https://twitter.com/BaltSunBrk/status/954023858071158784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="uxeGqw">Charlotte, North Carolina</h2>
<p id="xg9bbF">“Our bid had the distinct feel of a 50-year-old putting on Adidas and a craft brew shirt to look cool to the kids,” wrote the editorial board at the Charlotte Observer. Still, Charlotte was able to buck up and congratulate its neighbor city, Raleigh. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazon HQ2: Charlotte's out. Raleigh's alive. It's hard to say what we're about to say. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HQ2?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HQ2</a> <a href="https://t.co/dvvuGbgIuw">https://t.co/dvvuGbgIuw</a></p>— Peter St. Onge (@saintorange) <a href="https://twitter.com/saintorange/status/954048340529950720?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="KFKxwu">Detroit, Michigan</h2>
<p id="OjX1Qq">Detroit didn’t have a big enough pool of tech talent, the Detroit Free Press wrote. Its lack of mass transit might have hurt, too.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Why Detroit may have fallen short in its Amazon bid <a href="https://t.co/FUihe4QQk7">https://t.co/FUihe4QQk7</a></p>— Detroit Free Press (@freep) <a href="https://twitter.com/freep/status/954018329034829831?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="HqEHQy">Kansas City, Missouri </h2>
<p id="I691Uk">Kansas City lamented its minimal incentives to lure in Amazon as well as its relatively small population of tech workers, among other reasons. </p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Why Kansas City didn’t make Amazon’s top 20 list for new headquarters <a href="https://t.co/UaYyrbguP0">https://t.co/UaYyrbguP0</a></p>— The Kansas City Star (@KCStar) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCStar/status/954075427873738752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="xEGSZg">Minneapolis, Minnesota </h2>
<p id="Xyf6kf">Minnesota’s $3 million to $5 million in incentives to Amazon were far smaller than the “more than $1 billion in incentives offered by at least nine of the 20 cities still on Amazon’s list.”</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Twin Cities out of the running for Amazon's second headquarters <a href="https://t.co/BwRTzsPPza">https://t.co/BwRTzsPPza</a> <a href="https://t.co/dsRGQ7zzAG">pic.twitter.com/dsRGQ7zzAG</a></p>— Star Tribune (@StarTribune) <a href="https://twitter.com/StarTribune/status/954104359729602560?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="5HXwjJ">Oklahoma City, Oklahoma </h2>
<p id="qcOnLf">Oklahoma City’s mayor put some of the blame on a lack of state investment in education.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">And indeed, failures at the state level to fund core services like education are undoubtedly a significant reason neither OKC or Tulsa were serious Amazon contenders. I will work arm-in-arm with <a href="https://twitter.com/gtbynum?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gtbynum</a> to advocate for progress at the state level. <a href="https://t.co/o8k23LzQGZ">https://t.co/o8k23LzQGZ</a></p>— Senator David Holt (@davidfholt) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidfholt/status/954083664098447360?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="UmSyYd">Salt Lake City, Utah</h2>
<p id="iMM5Ee">The governor’s office chalked it up to Salt Lake City’s tiny population and western location.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Left off <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Amazon</a>'s list of finalists for its second headquarters, a Utah official say he suspects the Beehive State's population was too small and its location too close to the West Coast HQ<a href="https://t.co/4EOlnGbBGE">https://t.co/4EOlnGbBGE</a></p>— The Salt Lake Tribune (@sltrib) <a href="https://twitter.com/sltrib/status/954172341625421824?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="PYewpH">St. Louis, Missouri</h2>
<p id="XGVgPF">St. Louis pitched a sky tram and a dedicated Amazon welcome center at its airport, but “Amazon just wasn’t that into us.” Its aging population might also have had something to do with it.</p>
<div id="N0GtGw">
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Amazon narrows HQ search to 20 cities, St. Louis doesn't make the cut <a href="https://t.co/lXTmxTbrow">https://t.co/lXTmxTbrow</a> <a href="https://t.co/5tL5PAqhxX">pic.twitter.com/5tL5PAqhxX</a></p>— St. Louis Post-Dispatch (@stltoday) <a href="https://twitter.com/stltoday/status/954004736922959872?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 18, 2018</a>
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<h2 id="5Offzr">Tucson, Arizona</h2>
<p id="wzKZw1">A giant saguaro cactus, vacant land and tax breaks weren’t enough to lure Amazon to Arizona. </p>
<p id="qRNV4K"><a href="https://www.recode.net/2018/1/18/16905362/amazon-hq2-jeff-bezos-cities-finalist-compare">Here are the cities that made the cut</a>.</p>
<ul>
<li id="nEGI7S">Atlanta, Ga.</li>
<li id="2m9uNd">Austin, Texas</li>
<li id="t18goV">Boston, Mass.</li>
<li id="MStE2H">Chicago, lll.</li>
<li id="gKzl7B">Columbus, Ohio</li>
<li id="wWXpRf">Dallas, Texas</li>
<li id="dHPp77">Denver, Colo.</li>
<li id="kcZeg0">Indianapolis, Ind.</li>
<li id="cRYI0K">Los Angeles, Calif.</li>
<li id="w2NeOR">Miami, Fla.</li>
<li id="z1ZB0J">Montgomery County, Md.</li>
<li id="DVeGqA">Nashville, Tenn.</li>
<li id="Wixxf4">Newark, N.J.</li>
<li id="XTBMC6">New York City, N.Y.</li>
<li id="0xgrBg">Northern Virginia, Va.</li>
<li id="ObkLgu">Philadelphia, Pa.</li>
<li id="RbnJBO">Pittsburgh, Pa.</li>
<li id="Wmp97b">Raleigh, N.C.</li>
<li id="ljT73N">Toronto, Ontario, Canada</li>
<li id="O8Mg9D">Washington, D.C.</li>
</ul>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2018/1/20/16910204/amazon-jeff-bezos-cities-hq2-headquarters-finalsRani Molla2017-10-29T18:09:07-04:002017-10-29T18:09:07-04:00‘Amazon Stadium’ is the latest bait being dangled in front of Jeff Bezos
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<img alt="An architect’s rendering of what an Amazon sports stadium complex could look like in Chicago" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/03AVB2_kkl1pRoQejqxag2L7_t8=/240x109:883x591/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57375685/amazon_stadium.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Maybe Amazon could buy the Chicago Bears, too. | Developer Sterling Bay</figcaption>
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<p>A Chicago developer is promising a sports complex if the company decides to put its HQ2 in the Windy City.</p> <p id="CBHNae">The bidding war over which city will be the location of Amazon’s next headquarters continues.</p>
<p id="9GTlsj">As <a href="http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/ori/ct-biz-amazon-stadium-ryan-ori-20171027-story.html">reported in the Chicago Tribune</a>, Sterling Bay Developers in Chicago have drawn up plans for an Amazon HQ2 that includes a sports complex as well as an entertainment venue at Sterling Bay’s 70-plus-acre site along the west side of the river near Lincoln Park.</p>
<p id="0VZQ17">In September, <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-america">Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos opened the bidding for Amazon’s HQ2</a> by promising jobs for as many as 50,000 workers, and cities responded with lavish proposals. The competition is fierce, but <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/9/16278136/amazon-jeff-bezos-top-cities-new-second-headquarters">Chicago is at least in the running</a>.</p>
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<img alt="An architect’s drawing of what Amazon’s headquarters in Chicago could look like." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qqu7Q-MZaQbxKnH5LvmL6BJaMtU=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9561785/amazon_hq2.png">
<cite>Sterling Bay Developers</cite>
<figcaption>The complex has a building that spans the river.</figcaption>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/29/16567574/amazon-stadium-chicago-hq2-jeff-bezosElizabeth Crane2017-10-23T12:25:37-04:002017-10-23T12:25:37-04:00Amazon received more than 200 proposals from places that want to host its new headquarters
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<img alt="Workers surround the signature glass spheres under construction at the Amazon corporate headquarters in Seattle.&nbsp;" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/JQ2rV-KTv6dWN024W5epUmtc6Fk=/178x0:3022x2133/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57270533/696679792.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Workers surround the signature glass spheres under construction at the Amazon corporate headquarters in Seattle. | David Ryder/Getty</figcaption>
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<p>The unorthodox search process seems to have worked.</p> <p id="29w5eB">Amazon’s unorthodox approach to finding a second North America headquarters seems to be working.</p>
<p id="fc1oK0">The company announced on Monday that it had received 238 different proposals from cities and regions that want Amazon to locate their office complex in their municipalities. </p>
<p id="KfZ8YK">Amazon <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-america">announced in early September</a> that it was seeking requests for proposals from local governments that could offer the educated workforce, transportation system and tax incentives to get Amazon — and eventually 50,000 employees — to take up residence in their city.</p>
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<img alt="Amazon headquarters map of proposals" data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UaKVM-H_tVRGxtzYvPuc-lKeidI=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9517517/HQ2_RFP_Map_hires.jpg">
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<p id="ToTDHa">Some cities, like Boston, <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B3sIygsumCO7c3UtVWVhcU5VOVU/view">have published the entirety of their proposal</a>. Others, like Stonecrest, Ga., have used the opportunity to earn 15 minutes of fame by offering to rename their city “Amazon” if they win. Even federal lawmakers that are responsible for regulating Amazon — and some who have been critical of the company — <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/10/18/16490950/amazon-jeff-bezos-moving-new-headquarters-hq2">have been part of the pitches</a>.</p>
<p id="Mw8kyl">Note that no municipalities in Arkansas made a bid, according to the map above. That shows the power of Amazon’s biggest retail rival, Walmart, which is headquartered in the state.</p>
<p id="E3cZgb">Amazon is expected to make a decision in 2018. Here are <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/9/16278136/amazon-jeff-bezos-top-cities-new-second-headquarters">some of the top contenders</a>. </p>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/23/16521500/amazon-hq2-new-second-headquarters-rfp-proposals-bidsJason Del Rey2017-10-19T14:03:49-04:002017-10-19T14:03:49-04:00Amazon is showing some rare Twitter love to these four states in their new headquarters bid
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<img alt="Amazon Buys Whole Foods For Over 13 Billion" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/PS8Xj5z-wa9Gg2CFz2xL_y1aty0=/178x0:3022x2133/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57221363/696679792.1508436229.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>North America cities are battling it out to be the location of HQ2.</p> <p id="Z7KYlH">Amazon’s <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-america">search for a second headquarters</a> has sent city officials around North America into a frenzy. New York City just <a href="https://ny.curbed.com/2017/10/18/16497474/amazon-nyc-empire-state-one-world-orange-lights">lit its iconic skyscrapers orange</a>, the color of Amazon’s logo, to attract the online retailer. Calgary said <a href="https://twitter.com/jontalton/status/921048152513265664">it would fight a bear</a> for HQ2.</p>
<p id="pJ2TRX">That’s in addition to the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/newark-offers-7-billion-in-incentives-to-lure-amazon-1508191648">billions</a> in subsidies and incentives that cities across the country are offering in exchange for Amazon’s HQ2 and the 50,000 jobs that come with it. Even <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/10/18/16490950/amazon-jeff-bezos-moving-new-headquarters-hq2">federal lawmakers who regulate Amazon</a> want the online retailer to come to their states.</p>
<p id="YI9XM4">Earlier this year we took a stab at finding the <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/9/16278136/amazon-jeff-bezos-top-cities-new-second-headquarters">top contenders for Amazon’s headquarters</a>. But where does Amazon want to put its second headquarters?</p>
<p id="sn3PCi">Amazon’s <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon_policy">policy Twitter account</a> might provide some clues. (Or it could also just be encouraging excitement — and incentives — from cities that have entered the competition.) </p>
<p id="ZuzYSc">Since Amazon launched the contest September 7, the Twitter handle has tweeted about or retweeted four locations in relation to its headquarters search: Dallas, Washington D.C., Colorado and, today, Massachusetts.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Love the creativity, <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DallasNews</a>! We (& our >20K employees in the state) love doing biz in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TX?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TX</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HQ2?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HQ2</a> <a href="https://t.co/HethnUxzb0">https://t.co/HethnUxzb0</a> via <a href="https://twitter.com/dallasnews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dallasnews</a></p>— Amazon Policy (@amazon_policy) <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon_policy/status/907604002388545536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2017</a>
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<p id="O5Jj0Q"><a href="https://twitter.com/amazon_policy">Amazon Policy</a> retweeted:</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Hey Alexa - what's the best location for <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Amazon</a>'s second headquarters? <br><br>Obviously, Washington, DC. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ObviouslyDC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ObviouslyDC</a> <a href="https://t.co/VRJthcsPt5">pic.twitter.com/VRJthcsPt5</a></p>— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorBowser/status/908422753337925632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 14, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">We have hundreds of employees in the state and love doing business in <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CO?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CO</a>. Thank you <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeCoffman?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMikeCoffman</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SenCoryGardner?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenCoryGardner</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/SenBennetCO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenBennetCO</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GovofCO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovofCO</a> <a href="https://t.co/8J83PT5QnS">https://t.co/8J83PT5QnS</a></p>— Amazon Policy (@amazon_policy) <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon_policy/status/916015320397238272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">With 3,000 employees in the state and counting, we love doing business in the state of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MA?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MA</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HQ2?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HQ2</a> <a href="https://t.co/WLmIOGGXkL">https://t.co/WLmIOGGXkL</a></p>— Amazon Policy (@amazon_policy) <a href="https://twitter.com/amazon_policy/status/921026647075237888?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2017</a>
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<p id="aWK7ce">Does that mean Amazon is partial to those places? Not necessarily. But it does show that at least they’re on its radar.</p>
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<aside id="CCtkAV"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"recode_daily"}'></div></aside><p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/19/16504322/amazon-new-second-headquarters-hq2-texas-colorado-dc-massachusettsRani Molla2017-10-18T06:00:02-04:002017-10-18T06:00:02-04:00The federal lawmakers who regulate Amazon are begging the company to move to their home states
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<img alt="Tech And Media Elites Attend Allen And Company Annual Meetings In Idaho" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/RofJcPO48xlea3rhMqymL6VSuXE=/340x0:3060x2040/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57191185/813883120.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos | Drew Angerer / Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Democrats and Republicans in Congress are warring to snag the jobs and investment that might come from HQ2.</p> <p id="32hUIZ">Few things unite a Republican stalwart like Roy Blunt and a Democratic firebrand like Claire McCaskill. But the prospect of a political win prompted the two U.S. senators to put aside their differences this week — and <a href="https://www.mccaskill.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/2017-10-16%20Missouri%20Senators%20Support%20for%20Amazon%20HQ2.pdf">practically plead with Amazon</a> to plop its new headquarters in their shared home state of Missouri.</p>
<p id="ZX5aEH">In doing so, the duo joined a growing group of federal lawmakers — from Pennsylvania to Texas — who are actively angling for the e-commerce giant’s second corporate outpost, dubbed HQ2. The new hub could generate 50,000 new jobs and $5 billion in fresh Amazon investment wherever it ultimately lands, at least in the company’s eyes.</p>
<p id="uajjVH">For members of Congress, though, this sort of race to capture corporate cash and attention always presents an immense contradiction. Enticing new jobs and dollars sometimes means that lawmakers must woo the very businesses that they’re supposed to be regulating with a far more objective eye. </p>
<p id="N106su">And they face a special challenge when it comes to Amazon, a tech behemoth that has long faced criticism for its hyperaggressive tactics as it conquers new industries, from entertainment to cloud computing to smart-home devices.</p>
<p id="GWI11S">“I do think it puts people in a difficult situation, because obviously, on the one hand, you want to speak out strongly on issues of privacy, on issues of antitrust, on issues of tax [compliance],” said Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna, who represents a slice of Silicon Valley, in an interview with <strong>Recode</strong>. “But I think also many of these members say, ‘Look, 50,000 jobs in our environment, which may not require college degrees, is like winning the lottery.’”</p>
<p id="MyfWKE">At times, it seems like a precarious balance for lawmakers to strike.</p>
<p id="qAh7vR">Earlier this year, for example, Democratic Sen. Cory Booker <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/7/20/16005394/cory-booker-amazon-google-tech-antitrust-competition-mergers-trump">sounded alarms about Amazon’s most recent gambit</a>: Its $14 billion<strong> </strong>purchase of Whole Foods. At the time, Booker told <strong>Recode</strong> that the deal — which the U.S. government later approved — could create new headaches for disadvantaged communities already lacking in grocery options. </p>
<p id="7K8d3g">By October, Booker nonetheless saw new opportunity in Amazon’s desire to set up a shop outside of its Seattle roots. In time for the company’s Oct. 19 application deadline, Booker joined New Jersey’s unpopular Republican governor, Chris Christie, to pitch Newark as the best site for HQ2. Local regulators also promised Amazon a whopping $7 billion in tax breaks if it located its future hub in the city where Booker previously served as mayor.</p>
<p id="UlgcI3">"Amazon would be smart to come here,” <a href="http://www.nj.com/politics/index.ssf/2017/10/christie_newark_should_land_amazon_headquarters.html">Booker said at a recent press conference</a>. </p>
<p id="EmZUTl">Asked about the matter, a spokeswoman for the senator later told <strong>Recode</strong>: "It is by no means mutually exclusive to both advocate for economic development and jobs and to call out anticompetitive behavior by any company that crowds out small business, lowers wages, and stifles innovation.”</p>
<h3 id="Wutzba">‘Bend over backwards’</h3>
<p id="THxQKY">Federal lawmakers aren’t just groveling for their own sake at the feet of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Along with governors and mayors from their states, they’re trying to fulfill the pledges they’ve made to voters — to create new economic opportunities and boost the availability of high-paying jobs. </p>
<p id="TYJKBi">That’s why Wisconsin pols — including House Speaker Paul Ryan — set about offering $3 billion in tax subsidies this year to another company, Foxconn, <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/7/26/16035104/trump-white-house-foxconn-wisconsin-factory">which is now set to build a new factory there</a>. Local and federal officeholders in Virginia similarly worked with Facebook to secure its investment in a new 970,000-square-foot data center in the state. </p>
<p id="KUKIaG">“Facebook’s partnership with Virginia and this significant investment in Henrico County are great news for the region,”<a href="https://governor.virginia.gov/newsroom/newsarticle?articleId=21430"> Sen. Mark Warner said</a> this October.</p>
<p id="QFhRB1">But these efforts are immensely beneficial for tech giants, too. Beyond favorable tax treatment and other financial perks, the deals allow companies in Silicon Valley and beyond a chance to make nice with their regulators — no small advantage at a time when the whole of the industry is under intense fire in the nation’s capital.</p>
<p id="tY1S5M">Warner, for example, is <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/10/6/16419388/facebook-google-twitter-russia-ads-2016-election-president-donald-trump">probing Facebook right now</a>, amid evidence that Russian agents coopted the social media site to influence the 2016 presidential election. He is even set to grill one of Facebook’s<strong> </strong>executives at a hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee next month.</p>
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<p id="O6L5S6">Amazon’s political agenda is immense. To start, the company has a great deal at stake as the U.S. Congress wades into debates over tax and immigration reforms. It also faces flack for its size, as lawmakers like Sen. Elizabeth Warren question whether tech platforms in general are too large for their own good.</p>
<p id="VBpNys">And Amazon has a <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/6/28/15885828/trump-amazon-washington-post-attack-jeff-bezos-internet-taxes">public enemy in the White House</a>: President Donald Trump has regularly lambasted the company’s leader, Bezos, for his ownership of The Washington Post, even claiming that the newspaper allows the tech giant to dodge U.S. taxes. </p>
<p id="Ip5x2U">Those obstacles have driven Amazon to spend roughly $6.1 million to lobby federal officeholders so far this year, according to federal ethics filings. By the end of 2017, Amazon could even break its lobbying record in Washington, D.C. And in the eyes of the company’s skeptics, regulatory concerns could shape the Amazon’s thinking about how — and where — to situate its next corporate headquarters.</p>
<p id="cXUJ8b">“It’s striking to me that Amazon has created this situation in which elected officials across the country are signaling to their constituents that Amazon is a great company ... and that we should bend over backwards to try to subsidize and support their expansion,” said Stacy Mitchell, the co-director of the Institute for Local Self-Reliance. The group has battled with Amazon in the past.</p>
<h2 id="HY1RIt">‘We look for you to be a partner in that endeavor’</h2>
<p id="w82kw1">To Rep. Khanna, at least, his fellow lawmakers aren’t entirely “motivated by political interest” as they try to woo Amazon’s HQ2.</p>
<p id="3Hvpnl">“Right now, it’s the absence of any federal policy” — a more organic, government-led efforts to bring jobs and investment to areas outside Silicon Valley — “that has every member of Congress out for themselves making a sales pitch,” he said in an interview.</p>
<p id="4oIEbL">Whatever the cause, the courtship from the nation’s capital continues.</p>
<p id="WPbOO2">In Missouri, for example, McCaskill and Blunt hope their public plea might give a boost to cities like Kansas City and St. Louis. In their missive, sent Monday, they highlighted to Amazon the "smoother ride" of the state's transportation system, its easy access to airports, its trails for joggers and walkers alike — and, yes, its hip startups, too. </p>
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<img alt="Workers surround the signature glass spheres under construction at the Amazon’s original corporate headquarters back in 2017 in Seattle." data-mask-text="false" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/UbzBdph_VfwSx8dKn7TDzRBD1Dc=/800x0/filters:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/9481989/696679792.jpg">
<cite>David Ryder / Getty Images</cite>
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<p id="THlimU">If it seemed too cute, it’s probably Amazon's fault: The company, after all, told cities and states that it would give great weight to localities that boast the right transportation and infrastructure on top of the best tax terms.</p>
<p id="tG4qUV">A spokeswoman for McCaskill, however, rejected the notion that the Democratic lawmaker might ease up on the e-commerce giant if Missouri ultimately wins Amazon’s office sweepstakes. “She’s never hesitated to take on tech companies when they disagree,” the aide told <strong>Recode</strong>, citing the fact that <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/13/16302394/sex-trafficking-congress-senate-hearing-tech-silicon-valley">McCaskill supports an anti-sex trafficking bill that the tech industry opposes.</a></p>
<p id="T7deSb">Roughly 700 miles south, meanwhile, two powerful Republican senators from Texas sought to make their own sales pitch to Amazon last week.</p>
<p id="X0BrFF">"Everything is bigger in Texas, and that includes our economy, our skilled workforce, and our quality of life,” wrote <a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/content/news/cornyn-cruz-urge-amazon-locate-new-hq-texas">Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz</a> in their letter to the company.</p>
<p id="ezxeQh">At the moment, big cities like <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/sanjose/news/2017/10/16/amazon-hq2-top-cities-moodys-ranking-san-jose.html">Austin</a> and <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/houston/news/2017/10/17/amazon-hq2-bid-emerges-from-farm-land-of-central.html">lesser-known parts</a> of the Lone Star State appear to be vying for Amazon’s HQ2. If one of those Texas towns lands the new headquarters, it could also deliver something of an added political coup for the likes of Cruz — a failed 2016 presidential candidate who may wish to burnish his business bona fides in a future White House bid.</p>
<p id="tShnhC">In Delaware, Gov. John Carney <a href="https://technical.ly/delaware/2017/09/11/gov-carney-bring-together-federal-delegation-delawares-amazon-hq2-push/">enlisted his state’s representatives</a> to the U.S. Congress, including Sens. Chris Coons and Tom Carper, in a bid to get Amazon’s attention. Scores of Pennsylvania <a href="http://fox43.com/2017/10/13/lawmakers-send-letter-to-amazon-ceo-to-consider-bringing-second-headquarters-to-pa/">lawmakers from both parties did the same</a>, as cities like Philadelphia now vie to be the tech giant’s second home.</p>
<p id="PTBlCt">And in Colorado, nine Democrats and Republicans who comprise <a href="https://www.bizjournals.com/denver/news/2017/10/04/all-colorado-congress-members-to-jeff-bezos-build.html">the state’s full congressional delegation</a> banded together in their appeal. Cities like Denver are seen as some of the strongest competitors for Amazon HQ2, but the company has remained mum as to who, if anyone, is on its shortlist.</p>
<p id="pLPzXM">“Local, state and federal policy makers are committed to continuing the policies that have allowed our state to thrive,” the group of pols wrote, “and we look for you to be a partner in that endeavor.”</p>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/10/18/16490950/amazon-jeff-bezos-moving-new-headquarters-hq2Tony Romm2017-09-09T12:00:03-04:002017-09-09T12:00:03-04:00These U.S. cities have the best chance of being Amazon’s second headquarters
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<img alt="Amazon Unveils Its First Smartphone" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/upqcpdgv3rs2KKsZzR3oqbB0fwE=/178x0:3022x2133/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56590813/450831342.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>Photo by David Ryder/Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>It’s going to take a lot to catch Amazon’s attention.</p> <p id="H1CnZB">Amazon plans to <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-america">open a second North American headquarters</a> in addition to its original headquarters in Seattle. The retailer promised 50,000 jobs and $5 billion in capital expenditures for the city that proves it has the best assets and incentives. </p>
<p id="EXo6x1">The floodgates opened. </p>
<p id="lo4Fcg"><a href="https://twitter.com/chrishagan/status/905889551956271104">It seems as though every mayor in every city in America</a> has declared a bid to be Amazon’s next headquarters. Some have more promise than others. </p>
<p id="9xKQpF">We created a select list of cities with over a million people that have<strong> </strong>a chance of getting Amazon’s attention. We compared them on a number of criteria, including tech talent, airport travel time, office prices, housing costs and population. Take a look:</p>
<div id="HsnfnC"><div style="left: 0; width: 100%; height: 0; position: relative; padding-bottom: 75.0019%;"><iframe src="https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1MFRgj7LNR84mToV-FbzP72xVoT0&source=iframely" style="border: 0; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; position: absolute;" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></div></div>
<p id="xrzQhw">Amazon stressed that incentives like tax breaks would factor into its decision, but those are likely to be unique to each project, so we didn’t look at a city’s past incentives for this analysis. </p>
<p id="zQJ4Dj">Of the over 20 cities we looked at, Washington, D.C., is the most expensive for commercial real estate. On average, it costs $595 dollars per square foot to buy office space in its central business district, according to 2016-present sales data from commercial real estate data firm <a href="https://www.rcanalytics.com/">Real Capital Analytics</a>. Columbus, Ohio, is at the other end of the spectrum, at $61 per square foot on average. Of course, all of these pale in comparison to commercial real estate in Amazon’s downtown Seattle home, which costs $604 per square foot for office space. </p>
<p id="NbsQry">Areas outside the central business districts are cheaper — and could be closer to the airport, important for deliveries and<strong> </strong>corporate travel. At just eight minutes from downtown, Columbus, Phoenix and Salt Lake City have the closest airports. </p>
<p id="SfBwTf">But real estate is only part of the equation. For tech firms, real estate leases and rentals make up just 4 percent of a business’s operating expenses, while payroll alone makes up about 50 percent according to the Census Bureau’s <a href="https://www.census.gov/econ/bes/">Business Expenses Survey</a>.</p>
<p id="fAsIFk">The biggest — and priciest — issue is getting and retaining workers. </p>
<p id="xgAVsr">That might be easiest in Washington, D.C, Atlanta, Raleigh, Austin and Boston, which were the top places in the U.S. — besides the Bay Area, Seattle and New York City, which we didn’t include for obvious reasons — for tech talent, according to real estate research firm <a href="https://www.cbre.us/research-and-reports/Scoring-Tech-Talent-2017">CBRE’s 2017 Scoring Tech Talent</a> report.</p>
<p id="z3Zfj9">The report factors in 13 different metrics to gauge a market’s ability to attract and grow tech talent. The result is a rank of 50 North American cities based on which are best for tech employers and workers.</p>
<p id="7mbUZW">While the city itself will certainly provide workers, Amazon is always looking to recruit from elsewhere. Getting new talent to come to a city requires a mix of good amenities and affordable housing, according to Svenja Gudell, chief economist at real estate data firm <a href="https://www.zillow.com">Zillow</a>.</p>
<p id="YaeJUu">Her short list for Amazon’s second headquarters is topped by Austin, Denver and Chicago because they have all the amenities of a big city, but they aren’t geographically constrained and have much cheaper housing than Seattle. </p>
<p id="uTAnkp">Of course, Amazon might not choose to put its headquarters in the U.S. at all. </p>
<p id="caHqQd">According to Gudell, “Given our current immigration policy, especially on the tech side, it might be smart to consider Canada.”</p>
<p id="qaOhW8">Here’s the same information in the map as a sortable table:</p>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/9/9/16278136/amazon-jeff-bezos-top-cities-new-second-headquartersRani Molla2017-09-07T13:28:52-04:002017-09-07T13:28:52-04:00Amazon’s pursuit of tax credits to build a new corporate headquarters is getting early pushback
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<img alt="Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos standing in front of the Amazon smiling sign" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/pYtKQIGenOSN5e-jrS2g3SWQoBQ=/0x170:707x700/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56563937/amazon-video-direct.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>AFP / Getty</figcaption>
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<p>It’s coming from Silicon Valley’s representative in Congress, Ro Khanna.</p> <p id="SMG3ro">Amazon is <a href="https://www.recode.net/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-america">hoping to snag some sweet tax credits</a> wherever it decides to construct its newly announced plans for a second corporate headquarters. </p>
<p id="4Elr8N">But one of Silicon Valley’s leading representatives in the U.S. Congress doesn’t think the e-commerce company actually deserves them — in his California district or anywhere else.</p>
<p id="mree3d">In a series of tweets on Thursday, Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna lamented that it would become a “race to the bottom” if cities tried to woo Amazon in part by offering the tech giant overly favorable financial terms. That’s already apparent in Memphis, Tenn., perhaps, where the mayor there tweeted earlier in the day that local officials would <a href="https://twitter.com/MayorMemphis/status/905791492308049920">“absolutely make a bid.”</a></p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Tech companies, flush w cash, must not demand local tax breaks up front. They shld partner w communities on jobs. <a href="https://t.co/3O1bkHbouF">https://t.co/3O1bkHbouF</a></p>— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoKhanna/status/905808167514275840">September 7, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">I don't think they should be asking for tax breaks from cities within my district or those outside. They should be investing in communities</p>— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoKhanna/status/905820601847304193">September 7, 2017</a>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">That's why we need federal policy to encourage tech investment and training across country instead of race to bottom</p>— Ro Khanna (@RoKhanna) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoKhanna/status/905822185184526336">September 7, 2017</a>
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<p id="ZbWH38">For its part, Amazon already has made clear that it’s going to build its next U.S. hub in the city with the best perks. That includes “incentives offered by the state/province and local communities,” the company said in its request for proposals, including tax and utility credits and and other fee waivers. Once built, though, Amazon estimates the new corporate headquarters could employ as many as 50,000 workers. </p>
<p id="1EJ3jb">That said, Amazon’s attempt to solicit favorable financial treatment is ripe for criticism at a time when another tech giant’s deal with locals — Foxconn’s forthcoming factory in Wisconsin — is in the crosshairs. There, the Taiwanese supplier walked away with a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/27/business/wisconsin-foxconn-tax-subsidies.html?mcubz=1">whopping $3 billion in tax credits</a> following a deal announced this July.</p>
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<p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/9/7/16268588/amazon-tax-credits-ro-khanna-oppositionTony Romm2017-09-07T09:08:15-04:002017-09-07T09:08:15-04:00Amazon wants a second North America headquarters. Now watch cities rush to the altar of Bezos.
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<img alt="The glass spheres outside Amazon corporate headquarters in Seattle" src="https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/eCq70hQym013dFEoXY5vGToCHHU=/178x0:3022x2133/1310x983/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/56556641/696675222.0.jpg" />
<figcaption>People walk past the signature glass spheres under construction at the Amazon corporate headquarters in Seattle. | David Ryder / Getty</figcaption>
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<p>The new HQ would be a “full equal” to the company’s Seattle headquarters.</p> <p id="iebbZ5">Amazon announced Thursday morning that it would start soliciting bids from North American cities to be the home of a second company headquarters on the continent, expected to eventually house as many as 50,000 employees.</p>
<p id="qcLrcG">Amazon said it prefers metro areas that house at least one million people and a strong technical talent pool. Of course, Amazon is also looking for a healthy dose of incentives, including tax exemptions or workforce grants. </p>
<p id="ORGiHz">“Incentives offered by the state/province and local communities to offset initial capital outlay and ongoing operational costs will be significant factors in the decision-making process,” the request for proposal reads.</p>
<p id="p883lG">Interested municipalities and local economic agencies have six weeks or so to submit their bid. That trampling sound you hear is them rushing to the altar of Bezos. According to Amazon math, the company contributed $1.40 to the Seattle economy between 2010 and 2016 for every dollar of direct investment it put into the region — or $38 billion. </p>
<p id="iPxWT6">Amazon said the new campus will eventually be a “full equal” to its current Seattle headquarters. While big U.S. metro areas like New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, Chicago, Atlanta and Austin immediately come to mind — what about a bustling tech center to the north? Toronto.</p>
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<aside id="Z8qPG9"><div data-anthem-component="newsletter" data-anthem-component-data='{"slug":"recode_daily"}'></div></aside><p><small><em>This article originally appeared on Recode.net.</em></small></p>
https://www.vox.com/2017/9/7/16266142/new-amazon-headquarters-rfp-north-americaJason Del Rey