Amazon doesn't plan to reopen HQ2 search after backing out of NYC

Tech NYC Executive Director Julie Samuels says Amazon’s decision to cancel its plans to build a corporate campus in New York City is over politics.

The search is still off.

Amazon said despite pulling out of its plan to build a second headquarters in New York City following a flood of opposition from state and local officials, it doesn't "intend" to reopen its HQ2 search "at this time."

In a blog post released Thursday, Amazon said, "We do not intend to reopen the HQ2 search at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada."

The news comes as a disappointment to the 18 cities that were on the company's short list as finalists during its year-long search last year.

Those cities included: Toronto, Columbus, Indianapolis, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Dallas, Austin, Boston, Newark, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Montgomery County in Maryland, Washington, D.C., Raleigh, Atlanta and Miami.

Ticker	Security	Last	Change	Change %
AMZN	AMAZON.COM INC.	197.93	+11.53	+6.19%

While Amazon did not give a reason why it doesn't intend to reopen the search, it does leave the possiblity open by referencing "at this time."

As reported by FOX Business, some Tennesse lawmakers would be very happy to swoop in and work with the e-commerce giant.

“We would be very interested in working with Amazon in any way possible,” Bob Rolfe, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development, told FOX Business on Tuesday before Amazon's announcement.

Mark Hamrick, an anaylst at Bankrate.com said he thinks Amazon made sure to include that it does intend to reopen its search so it can now go about its decision-making under the radar.

"At least compared to the much-hyped HQ2 process," Hamrick told FOX Business.

"Clearly, it didn’t anticipate the uproar and opposition that erupted regarding the Queens location. Had it engaged in the process more quietly, or using traditional means, it might not have generated all of the negative attention. The publicity surrounding generous tax incentives probably also played into the blowback.”