Amazon is looking for a 2nd head quarters https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/07/technology/amazon-headquarters-north-america.html They will require 8.1 million square feet of space in a campus like orientation that is near a business center. This would be an amazing catch for Houston ... but do we really stand a chance? Our transportation infrastructure is lacking, the recent flooding might scare away talent and traffic is one of Amazon's stated negatives of Seattle. On the plus side...Bezos was a Houstonian for a few years, housing costs are quite low and we got the seaport and international airport that Amazon covets. Houston needs to diversify and should go all in to lure Amazon HQ2.
Well we are bidding. https://www.google.com/amp/www.chro...t-Amazon-needs-but-maybe-not-all-12179972.php
I think Vegas is a good fit. They need to diversify way more than Houston does. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2017/sep/07/las-vegas-among-cities-to-vie-for-amazons-second-n/ “We have a very solid relationship with Amazon and will work with Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance and all stakeholders in the Las Vegas area on a response to the RFP,” Hill said North Las Vegas, which already has Amazon facilities, will also seek HQ@2. "Amazon has found great success in North Las Vegas with three existing facilities and a rapidly expanding footprint," North Las Vegas spokeswoman Delen Goldberg said. "The company has experienced first-hand how easy and profitable it is to do business in our city, and we look forward to a continued partnership with Amazon as the company grows its stellar track record of success in North Las Vegas."
I heard that the Newports of the Sweetums company are selling some land in Pawnee, Indiana. I think they have some competition with the government who's trying to build a national park there though.
Obviously would love Houston to get Amazon HQ2, but the reality is EVERYONE is interested and there are a lot of places that are desperate. One such place is Chicago, which is pushing really hard for the facility.
States like Texas and North Carolina etc with sociopathic and/or Trumpist state governments that worry about which bathrooms people use, denying the franchise to nonwhites, destroying public education etc.... are at a distinct disadvantage in this competition. It really tears me up!
It will be where people want to live. Austin would make sense especially since Whole food is already there.
They're going to take proposals?? Lol... so basically proposals for how many tax breaks and incentives a city is willing to give. Sure, there's tons and long lasting great trickle down impacts from getting these types of things to your city. It's just weird how the companies that need it the least are most well positioned to get these types of breaks. And no offense to Houston, but there's no way Houston gets it. Austin is the only Texas town that makes sense. But I somewhat expect them to go further east. Wouldn't be surprised if it was Charlotte or Raleigh-Durham... But as someone else noted perhaps the policies of Texas/NC come into play.
Top 10 US Ports 1. Port of Los Angeles 2. Port of Long Beach 3. Port of New York & New Jersey 4. Georgia Ports 5. Port of Seattle-Tacoma 6. Port of Virginia 7. Port of Houston 8. South Carolina ports 9. Port of Oakland 10. Port of Miami
If I had to put money on it, I would say HQ2 gets built in Texas. But not in Houston. Amazon has some huge projects in North Texas; wind farm and massive fulfillment centers I think HQ2 goes to Dallas.
Frankly I wouldn't want Amazon's new HQ. The price is going to be absurd. They'll prey on some city silly enough to throw billions of dollars at them. Foxconn got 4 billion dollars from Wisconsin and that was just a manufacturing facility. Wisconsin won't make that money back for decades. Amazon will demand a far higher price in terms of subsidies and tax reductions in addition to any infrastructure investments and other public funding. At some point it isn't worth it. Plus one of the reasons why Amazon is moving away from Seattle is that cost of living has become too large and they're having challenges attracting talent nowadays. Plus the city has largely turned on Amazon and the other tech companies. Some of their demands are silly. They want dedicated light rail stops at their campus, dedicated highway access, minimum road size around them. And all of that must be publicly funded. That's just not worth it. Go spend that money on flood protection instead. That'll be way more useful.
Houston ain't getting it unless Amazon wants to build an amphibious building just for the lols. Austin maybe. I think Boulder would be interesting (I'd move there).
They could build next to that MASSIVE FedEx facility off of TX-99 Grand Parkway on the west side....lol.
Um.....the flooding is not an issue. They could build off TX-99 near the FedEx facility. It is not going to flood over there. I guess u don't understand that Harvey was a once in a century event. You don't think other places have natural disasters? Boulder......SNOW.
