ATLANTA | Development Thread VI

[scania]

Some on here are so small minded. Do you think because we have Fortune 500 companies is the same thing as New York? Yes there are big corporations al over the world. Are there celebrities including A-list celebrities that live in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, etc? Of course you can find some here and there all over the world. But are some of you that delusional that you think it’s the same as SoCal? My gosh we have a great city here. We don’t have to be the corporate giant of NYC nor the entertainment capital of Hollywood. There are a plethora of attributes that make Atlanta awesome, starting with our skyscrapers. We have some of the best residential high rises in the country. I don’t comment as much as I used to in the high rises because I think we overly criticize them. IMO

[Dale]

Originally Posted by scania

Some on here are so small minded. Do you think because we have Fortune 500 companies is the same thing as New York? Yes there are big corporations al over the world. Are there celebrities including A-list celebrities that live in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, etc? Of course you can find some here and there all over the world. But are some of you that delusional that you think it’s the same as SoCal? My gosh we have a great city here. We don’t have to be the corporate giant of NYC nor the entertainment capital of Hollywood. There are a plethora of attributes that make Atlanta awesome, starting with our skyscrapers. We have some of the best residential high rises in the country. I don’t comment as much as I used to in the high rises because I think we overly criticize them. IMO

Perhaps not for nothing: my sister is a long-time Los Angeles resident and she thinks Atlanta is "gorgeous."

[Verge]

Originally Posted by scania

Some on here are so small minded. Do you think because we have Fortune 500 companies is the same thing as New York? Yes there are big corporations al over the world. Are there celebrities including A-list celebrities that live in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, etc? Of course you can find some here and there all over the world. But are some of you that delusional that you think it’s the same as SoCal? My gosh we have a great city here. We don’t have to be the corporate giant of NYC nor the entertainment capital of Hollywood. There are a plethora of attributes that make Atlanta awesome, starting with our skyscrapers. We have some of the best residential high rises in the country. I don’t comment as much as I used to in the high rises because I think we overly criticize them. IMO

Hell no, Atlanta is not New York and never will be-- And NY is a great city and so is LA-- the point is-- Movie and TV Productions have no advantage if the actors live close by. Actors go to the work, by and large.

Atlanta has a lot of mediocre architecture for sure-- its real power lies in being an ambitious and progressive place in the American South pure and simple, and in its ability to dream (very) big. For instance, few American cities of 2.5M (as Atlanta was in 1990) would ever dream of hosting an Olympics, but Atlanta did. So, no we are not naive about Atlanta's place in the world, but we are, perhaps, hopeful about its future.

[Libertarian]

Well said Verge. You and Scania both make some good points.

[ATLontheRISE]

Originally Posted by scania

Some on here are so small minded. Do you think because we have Fortune 500 companies is the same thing as New York? Yes there are big corporations al over the world. Are there celebrities including A-list celebrities that live in Tennessee, Georgia, South Carolina, etc? Of course you can find some here and there all over the world. But are some of you that delusional that you think it’s the same as SoCal? My gosh we have a great city here. We don’t have to be the corporate giant of NYC nor the entertainment capital of Hollywood. There are a plethora of attributes that make Atlanta awesome, starting with our skyscrapers. We have some of the best residential high rises in the country. I don’t comment as much as I used to in the high rises because I think we overly criticize them. IMO

I don't post often. I'm a lurker for the most part. I do think Scania has some good points. But its often a back-handed compliment about AtL and mostly an endorsement of another city versus his own. Lord knows he'd argue you down to prove a point...geewiz. I lived in Atlanta for 10 years, before relocating to LA recently. Atlanta is definitely a topic of conversation in the film industry here. There are fresh wounds regarding how much work has relocated to Atlanta and other place from SoCal. Locals also place a good amount of blame on the State Gov't for not doing enough, soon enough. Sure, some things will return to SoCal. Many others wont.

[tdawg]

An interesting read and kind of backs up the idea that Atlanta’s Amazon HQ2 chances may not be as strong as hoped.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...5eef83_story.html?utm_term=.acd2a003fcb7

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by tdawg

An interesting read and kind of backs up the idea that Atlanta’s Amazon HQ2 chances may not be as strong as hoped.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/...5eef83_story.html?utm_term=.acd2a003fcb7

If Jeff Bezos is any sort of Leader, I would hope he would locate HQ2 to a city where LBGTQ rights are not equal and where he could make a change. I think they call this concept....LEADERSHIP.

For what is worth, Northern Virginia, is not bastion for gay rights either. So pick your poison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Virginia

[Hokiehaven]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

If Jeff Bezos is any sort of Leader, I would hope he would locate HQ2 to a city where LBGTQ rights are not equal and where he could make a change. I think they call this concept....LEADERSHIP.

For what is worth, Northern Virginia, is not bastion for gay rights either. So pick your poison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Virginia

It's pretty clear they knew where they were going from the start with how short the window is for a decision. All these conversations are just whatever now.

They just needed to make the likely destination sweat it out and give all the freebies they will and two, they probably had a backup in case the top spot started playing too much hardball.

But I'd say, ATL is quite gay friendly in a sea of red, but I don't think that matters one bit.

[rgreen2206]

It's amazing everyone thinks Jeff Bezos will make a business decision based on Social Justice concerns. He is a hard — taskmaster who treats his employees like sh*t. He is looking for every angle, every tax break, every advantage. The decision may already be made but I guarantee you it is not based on advancing a political agenda. By the way, the median salary of Amazon employees is $28,446 (https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/article...ined-by-billions-median-salary-is-28-446) For comparison here is another well known Seattle company Microsoft (Reuters): Median total compensation: $144,000, Median base compensation: $127,000

[rgreen2206]

Addendum: For anyone who has seen the movie "All The Money In The World" Bezos makes J. Paul Getty look like a —.


https://gizmodo.com/reminder-amazon-treats-its-employees-like-shit-1792642652
https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2...amazon-treats-their-90000-warehouse.html
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho...s-online-shopping-delivery-a8079111.html
https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2018/02/amazon-offer-pay-quit/553202/
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/...-richest-philanthropy-is-saved-for-later

Quite the SJ warrior.

[bigstick]

The HQ2 selection will be based upon geography and which sucker provides the most subsidies.

[BunkyWay]

Originally Posted by bigstick

The HQ2 selection will be based upon geography and which sucker provides the most subsidies.

Exactly. It's laughable to think Jeff Bezos even gives a s**t about LGBT values.

[scania]

Originally Posted by bigstick

The HQ2 selection will be based upon geography and which sucker provides the most subsidies.

Don’t be that way...this wasn’t your attitude when you thought we were a favorite. Just like no one on here except me seems to think it’s crazy how Georgia has prosituted itself in tax incentives to lure film production. We give the most tax incentives than any state.

[jsvh]

Originally Posted by rmckibben

I wanted to see if anyone had heard what I am about to pass along.

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I have heard rumors, from some business owners along Carroll Street in Cabbagetown, that Disney is looking to buy the Hulsey yard complex from CSX. I did find a post on another forum from last year quoting a CSX exec saying that they were looking to consolidate rail yard operations and sell of the real estate:

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlanta/2752489-csx-possibly-closing-3-4-atlanta.html


Gotta admit that the Hulsey Yard real estate would be worth quite a bit of money. From what my "source" says, Disney is looking to build an entertainment complex aimed at adults that blends in with the neighborhood. I can't find a thing about it in the news which makes me a little suspicious, but Disney does usually place some pretty ironclad non disclosures on any negotiations they enter into.

Found your source. Note the April one publish date and try spelling "Mr Sloof Lirpa" backwards.

[Atlanta3000]

Coda - Midtown

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by BunkyWay

Exactly. It's laughable to think Jeff Bezos even gives a s**t about LGBT values.

Jeff Bezos spent $250 Million to purchase the Washington Post. A person would not spend that kind of money if they are not liberally minded. So it is not a leap to think he does not support LGBTQ values.

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by rgreen2206

It's amazing everyone thinks Jeff Bezos will make a business decision based on Social Justice concerns. He is a hard — taskmaster who treats his employees like sh*t. He is looking for every angle, every tax break, every advantage. The decision may already be made but I guarantee you it is not based on advancing a political agenda. By the way, the median salary of Amazon employees is $28,446 (https://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/article...ined-by-billions-median-salary-is-28-446) For comparison here is another well known Seattle company Microsoft (Reuters): Median total compensation: $144,000, Median base compensation: $127,000

What you wrote here is the problem with America. Everybody thinks the country only should built to support the highly educated and the wealthy. The reality is 16% of American don't even complete high school and only 39% have a college degree. So while most of us here cannot image living on $28K a year, the reality is the majority of Americans by the 1000's attend career fairs to get a job at an Amazon warehouse. Not to mention, everyone at Amazon get's healthcare, even part-time employees.

BTW - the median salary for a Wal-Mart sales associate is <$19K a year with only 40% of the employees receiving healthcare benefits/

LET's KEEP IT REAL WHEN POSTING THIS BS!

[JMKeynes]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

If Jeff Bezos is any sort of Leader, I would hope he would locate HQ2 to a city where LBGTQ rights are not equal and where he could make a change. I think they call this concept....LEADERSHIP.

For what is worth, Northern Virginia, is not bastion for gay rights either. So pick your poison.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Virginia

Boston seems to have this wrapped up.

[scania]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

What you wrote here is the problem with America. Everybody thinks the country only should built to support the highly educated and the wealthy. The reality is 16% of American don't even complete high school and only 39% have a college degree. So while most of us here cannot image living on $28K a year, the reality is the majority of Americans by the 1000's attend career fairs to get a job at an Amazon warehouse. Not to mention, everyone at Amazon get's healthcare, even part-time employees.

BTW - the median salary for a Wal-Mart sales associate is <$19K a year with only 40% of the employees receiving healthcare benefits/

LET's KEEP IT REAL WHEN POSTING THIS BS!

Agreed!

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by JMKeynes

Boston seems to have this wrapped up.

Amazon just signed a lease for 500K sqft in the Seaport district in Boston and has an option to lease another 500K sqft. Seaport is not big enough to support HQ2 and Boston has proposed 3 other sites outside the CBD.

I need you to put your thinking cap on JMK...If you were Jeff Bezos and you knew you wanted to build HQ2 in Boston, would you sign a lease for a build-to-suit building in an area that could not support the whole HQ2?