New York might not want Amazon's HQ2 - but these cities do
In the weeks since Amazon announced that it pulled out of its plans to build a second headquarters in New York City, other cities that were once finalists for the coveted HQ2 are letting the e-commerce giant know they’re open for business.
In mid-February, Amazon said it was no longer pursuing construction of its HQ2 in New York following a flood of local opposition. The company was supposed to build its new campus in Long Island City, a neighborhood in Queens, but faced mounting criticism for the $3 billion in incentives that it would receive as a result of the deal. In exchange, Amazon said it would create 25,000 high-paying jobs and invest tens of millions of dollars in the local area.
Although Amazon said at the time that it did not intend to reopen the HQ2 search, politicians are continuing to pitch their cities and states to the company.
Here’s a look at some of the areas that have let Amazon know they'd be more than welcome.
Newark, New Jersey: Less than one week after Amazon pulled out of its planned expansion in New York City, some New Jersey politicians are making it clear to the e-commerce giant that a second headquarters would be welcome in the Garden State.
“We want HQ2,” Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., said on Monday during an interview with Cheddar. “We’ve sent that message out already. And everybody from the governor to the mayor to local leaders have been reaching out to Amazon.”
New Jersey was one of the 20 finalists in the year-long contest to host Amazon’s HQ2. At the time, Newark, along with the state of New Jersey, had tried to lure Amazon with a $7 billion incentive package, dwarfing most other cities’ deals.
Although Amazon said it doesn’t plan to launch another HQ2 search, that didn’t stop New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy from, almost immediately, pitching Newark to the world’s largest online retailer once again. In a statement, Murphy, a Democrat, said he contacted Amazon “continuing a constant dialogue.”
Nashville: Some Tennessee lawmakers said they’d be happy to swoop in and work with the e-commerce giant. Like Newark, Nashville was also among the 20 finalists last year.
Tennessee is already home to Amazon’s operation hub, which brought with it an estimated 5,000 jobs. In exchange, Amazon will receive a cash incentive of approximately $15 million.
“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, before Amazon's announcement.
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Miami: Following Amazon’s NYC pullout, the mayor of West Palm Beach, Florida penned an open letter to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos, pitching the town to the world’s largest online retailer.
“Businesses coming to West Palm Beach pay no state income tax, no corporate income tax on limited partnerships, no corporate income tax on subchapter S-corporations, no corporate franchise tax on capital stock, there’s no state-level property tax assessment, no property tax on business inventories, no property tax on goods-in-transit for up to 180 days, no sales tax on purchases of raw materials incorporated in a final product for resale, and more,” she wrote. “And that’s just the beginning.”
Chicago: According to a letter obtained by the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker sent a letter to Amazon on Feb. 14 -- the same day of the New York pullout -- assuring the company it would be welcome in the Windy City.
“You should take another look at Chicago,” they wrote. “We will be happy to bring you back.”
