Amazon HQ2 thread

[LouisVanDerWright]

Any other cities getting reports of this type of activity???

Amazon reps visit old Finkl Steel site on North Side

A steel of an Amazon deal?

Representatives of mega e-tailer Amazon were at the old Finkl Steel site on the North Side last week taking notes . . . and pictures . . . of the property, according to a top Sneed source.

It marks the first time Amazon representatives have been spotted visiting sites in Chicago, which is vying with other large North American cities to try to land the company’s second headquarters, known as “HQ2.”

Developer Sterling Bay is targeting Amazon as the anchor tenant for its $10 billion mixed-use, riverfront development on the land it’s assembling in Lincoln Park and Bucktown that includes the old steel plant. Together with the vehicle fleet maintenance facility it bought from City Hall for $104.7 million, Sterling Bay hopes to put together nearly 100 acres for its project, called “Lincoln Yards.”...

More here: https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/amazon-visits-old-finkl-steel-site-north-side-chicago/amp/

[James Bond Agent 007]

Just Chicago, that we know of.

Originally Posted by maru2501

https://chicago.suntimes.com/news/amazon-visits-old-finkl-steel-site-north-side-chicago/

Amazon visits one of the major chicago sites

[isaidso]

Originally Posted by Sun Belt

Is it safe to say that Canadians cities have been ruled out?

No, but we Canadians are very amused by the persistent and common view of Americans that this thing couldn't possibly go to a city outside the US. If anyone hasn't noticed, Canadian forum members have bowed out of the thread debate completely. We realize most Americans won't even entertain the idea so why beat our heads against a brick wall? We're not masochists.

Americans are very dismissive of Canada but that's to our advantage. You won't see us coming.

[DMPHL]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

...the city has better airport access via. transit than Dallas (which is what Amazon listed as a preference).

I don't understand where people are getting the mass-transit-to-the-airport thing from...

Amazon said that access to mass transit on site is important.

Amazon separately indicated that proximity to an international airport is important.

While convenient, accessible and fast mass transit from a downtown area to the airport (which Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago have, as part of their more extensive mass transit networks) is most definitely a plus, it is not a criterion spelled out in the RFP.

I've seen boosters of a few cities on this forum, mostly from places with anemic mass transit, talk about the mere existence of mass transit links to the airport as if that kills two birds with one stone, taking care of both criteria. It does not.

[C.]

Originally Posted by isaidso

No, but we Canadians are very amused by the persistent and common view of Americans that this thing couldn't possibly go to a city outside the US. If anyone hasn't noticed, Canadian forum members have bowed out of the thread debate completely. We realize most Americans won't even entertain the idea so why beat our heads against a brick wall? We're not masochists.

Americans are very dismissive of Canada but that's to our advantage. You won't see us coming.

Let's see who makes the shortlist next month. Plus it's not really politically feasible right now if Amazon opens up HQ2 outside the country. Maybe a smaller regional office if you're lucky.

[mhays]

They're a global company and hire globally for HQ1, to the extent they're allowed to. Calling it HQ2 might be problematic if they did that, but that size of presence might be easier in Canada for immigration reasons.

[GlassCity]

Originally Posted by CIA

Let's see who makes the shortlist next month. Plus it's not really politically feasible right now if Amazon opens up HQ2 outside the country. Maybe a smaller regional office if you're lucky.

We already have plenty of not-so-small regional Amazon offices in Canada. If they were so worried about the political climate they'd say "United States" in their callout, not "North America."

[C.]

Amazon is getting a lot of valuable data on what's out there. I have no doubt some of the cities will be approached after HQ2 is selected somewhere about the possibility of opening up a regional office. Newark and State of New Jersey offered a ridiculous $7.4 billion in tax breaks and incentives. I can see Amazon approaching Newark about getting some of that money in exchange for a smaller office outside NYC.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by chicubs111

^^^^ How can you not consider Chicago the top front runner for the rust belt cities????... The reality is Chicago has produced the best development options for Amazon... The proposals itself should be what is considered the dividing factor when comparing to other cities and outside of the one Philadelphia site Schukel yards i believe its called? there is no other cities produces the same quality proposals like Chicago has

I didn't say it wasn't. In fact, if you read the last few pages, you would see that I did list Chicago as a finalist.

That being said, trying to gauge something from site visits is like reading tea leaves. Amazon received 238 submissions and said they would be evaluating all of them for initial visits. Of those 238 submission, we have no idea of how many places they've visited or will visit.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

Any other cities getting reports of this type of activity???

There may or may not be. But that's mainly because most cities are not trying to show their hand, and/or they're bound by confidentiality agreements.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by DMPHL

While convenient, accessible and fast mass transit from a downtown area to the airport (which Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago have, as part of their more extensive mass transit networks) is most definitely a plus, it is not a criterion spelled out in the RFP.

The poster I responded to specifically asked what advantage does Atlanta have over Dallas. That's one of them.

[LouisVanDerWright]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

There may or may not be. But that's mainly because most cities are not trying to show their hand, and/or they're bound by confidentiality agreements.

This was leaked by the press, not the city. I figure the reporter probably found out from a contact who works for the developer that they had some special guests in town. I would figure similar rumors would be popping up in other cities if they were doing tours all over the place. Maybe it's just because Chicago has so many options that one of the inevitably tipped off the press? I also don't know why cities are trying not to show their hand, I mean there have been all sorts of proposals floating around. Who cares if other cities know what you are offering? It's not like Philly is going to come to Chicago and somehow take the Finkl site off the table because they know Amazon is looking at it lol.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by isaidso

No, but we Canadians are very amused by the persistent and common view of Americans that this thing couldn't possibly go to a city outside the US. If anyone hasn't noticed, Canadian forum members have bowed out of the thread debate completely. We realize most Americans won't even entertain the idea so why beat our heads against a brick wall? We're not masochists.

Americans are very dismissive of Canada but that's to our advantage. You won't see us coming.

Toronto's definitely a top candidate on paper.

That being said, there is one bid out there that allows Amazon to utilize Canada's advantages while maintaining a US presence, if cheap real estate is of importance to Amazon as well as avoiding a political backlash.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by LouisVanDerWright

This was leaked by the press, not the city. I figure the reporter probably found out from a contact who works for the developer that they had some special guests in town. I would figure similar rumors would be popping up in other cities if they were doing tours all over the place. Maybe it's just because Chicago has so many options that one of the inevitably tipped off the press? I also don't know why cities are trying not to show their hand, I mean there have been all sorts of proposals floating around. Who cares if other cities know what you are offering? It's not like Philly is going to come to Chicago and somehow take the Finkl site off the table because they know Amazon is looking at it lol.

The bolded is most likely the case.

And I completely agree with the rest of your post. I suppose we will see if more reports of site visits come up. But of course, even if they don't, it doesn't mean they're not happening.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by CIA

Amazon is getting a lot of valuable data on what's out there. I have no doubt some of the cities will be approached after HQ2 is selected somewhere about the possibility of opening up a regional office. Newark and State of New Jersey offered a ridiculous $7.4 billion in tax breaks and incentives. I can see Amazon approaching Newark about getting some of that money in exchange for a smaller office outside NYC.

That's definitely a possibility.

Also, this exercise is valuable for a lot of cities in that they're able to paint themselves in the best light for other, smaller companies that may be considering relocation (even if those companies aren't the mammoth prosperity bomb that Amazon HQ2 could be).

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by the urban politician

They aren't "talent". They are employees

You Millennials need to get over yourselves. Hate to break it to you, but 99% of you are very average, have no unusual skills, and will probably be middle of the road all of your lives. The previous generations already realize this, actually.

You're taking my post completely out of context.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by iheartthed

If it's a big Sun Belt city then I would envision Dallas over Atlanta. I just don't see what competitive advantage Atlanta has to overcome its already maxed out road network.

I'll make my short list based on regions:

• Canada - Toronto
• The Megalopolis - Boston or Philly
• Rust Belt - Pittsburgh or Detroit
• Sun Belt - Charlotte or Dallas

IMO, it's most likely that HQ2 goes to Canada or the Rust Belt.

RE: Pittsburgh & Detroit.

They're formidable dark horses, but they don't meet all of the requirements to make the short list on paper.

Pittsburgh's airport doesn't have direct flights to San Francisco. Also, Detroit has virtually no mass transit. The only rust belt city that checks all of the boxes is Chicago.

RE: Charlotte

Again, a formidable dark horse, but also doesn't check all of the boxes.

It has the worst transit of all major cities ("major" being cities of 2+ million) in the Southern Plains and SE region, outside of San Antonio and Raleigh.

Also, it doesn't have nearly as large of a tech labor pool as cities such as Dallas or Atlanta (Raleigh? Maybe, but not Charlotte).

[10023]

Do we know definitely what the next step is?

Presumably there will be a shortlist of finalists and then lots of sharpening of pencils, but what is the timing of that and how many proposals will be shortlisted?

[glowrock]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

This is one of the reasons why people consider Dallas and Atlanta frontrunners, despite being in red states.

Besides the cities/states being very business-friendly, they're amongst the most fiscally well-run cities/states in the country.

You've obviously never heard of the well-known fact that Texas has skillfully hidden a massive long-term debt and current deficit deep within its financials. Texas is not much better off than many other states, especially in the long run.

Aaron (Glowrock)

[Sun Belt]

Originally Posted by isaidso

No, but we Canadians are very amused by the persistent and common view of Americans that this thing couldn't possibly go to a city outside the US. If anyone hasn't noticed, Canadian forum members have bowed out of the thread debate completely. We realize most Americans won't even entertain the idea so why beat our heads against a brick wall? We're not masochists.

Americans are very dismissive of Canada but that's to our advantage. You won't see us coming.

I wasn't dismissive of Canada. I said Toronto and Montreal met the criteria. My post pertained more to Amazon and the fallout and nothing about the shortcomings of any proposal coming out of Canada.

I noticed that you didn't address my point that it would be a PR nightmare for Amazon to have held this 'contest' in a public manner seeking out public funds, only to create 50,000 jobs at an operation called HEADQUARTERS 2 in a host city outside of America.

Who knows why Canadians have 'bowed out' of the discussion. I didn't notice that trend. Maybe there's a competing discussion thread elsewhere about it, like this one about Where the West begins (in Canada) competing with The "last eastern city" and "first western city".
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=229478