Amazon HQ2 bid - Page 37

Libertarian · #**721** Posted **May 16, 2018, 3:13 AM**

I doubt the increased tax proceeds are getting to the homeless who really need it.

Dale · #**722** Posted **May 17, 2018, 1:10 PM**

NYC then Toronto ? Atlanta nowhere in sight ?

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/05...hq-but-that-doesnt-count-tax-breaks.html

Atlanta3000 · #**723** Posted **May 17, 2018, 1:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Libertarian

Seattle homeless tax passes - Amazon is not happy
I gotta say, these billionaires should pony up a bit for the homeless humanity with whom they share this planet.

Seattle's homelessness and lack of affordable housing is not a function of Amazon or the rich not paying their share. It is a function of anti-growth and NIMBY mentality embedded in the Seattle mindset. It's not just Seattle, but the whole West Coast. Throwing money at the problem will do little to remedy the situation.

Full disclosure - I am a militant liberal.

SteveD · #**724** Posted **May 17, 2018, 1:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dale

NYC then Toronto ? Atlanta nowhere in sight ?

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2018/05...hq-but-that-doesnt-count-tax-breaks.html

Well, after a lot of posturing, at the end they do say Chicago, northern Virginia, or LA. To me, LA doesn't make sense because I wouldn't imagine they'd want a second west coast HQ. Chicago and northern Virginia are Atlanta's chief rivals for this, in my completely unscientific and wild-ass guess opinion.

Atlanta3000 · #**725** Posted **May 17, 2018, 1:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by SteveD

Well, after a lot of posturing, at the end they do say Chicago, northern Virginia, or LA. To me, LA doesn't make sense because I wouldn't imagine they'd want a second west coast HQ. Chicago and northern Virginia are Atlanta's chief rivals for this, in my completely unscientific and wild-ass guess opinion.

If access to talent and affordable housing are the top criterion, I think there are only four viable options: Atlanta, Chicago, Philly and Dallas.

skyscraperpage17 · #**726** Posted **May 17, 2018, 2:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

If access to talent and affordable housing are the top criterion, I think there are only four viable options: Atlanta, Chicago, Philly and Dallas.

Yep. Those are my top contenders for the reasons you state.

Nashville, Newark and Pittsburgh are my dark horses (Detroit was too before being eliminated).

Atlanta3000 · #**727** Posted **May 17, 2018, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

Yep. Those are my top contenders for the reasons you state.

Nashville, Newark and Pittsburgh are my dark horses (Detroit was too before being eliminated).

Nashville - to small.

Newark & Pittsburgh - I would favor Pittsburgh. Both cities would be a challenge to recruit outside talent and Newark/NJ taxes are the highest in the country.

skyscraperpage17 · #**728** Posted **May 17, 2018, 3:41 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Nashville - to small.

Newark & Pittsburgh - I would favor Pittsburgh. Both cities would be a challenge to recruit outside talent and Newark/NJ taxes are the highest in the country.

I consider Nashville a dark horse for a couple of reasons.

1. Tennessee, like GA / NC / TX, is very generous with tax incentives to land business expansions / relocations (which is important to Amazon).

2. It's an up and coming, yet still young city that Amazon could morph into its own as it matures.

3. It has a culture that's very attrative to millenials and Amazon would have no problem recruiting talent there.

Besides all of that, it doesn't hurt that the person at Amazon leading the search is a native of Nashville.

As far as Pittsburgh, it has CMU (which is, I believe, Amazon's top school for recruitment). So attracting outside talent won't be as much of an issue as it would be in other cities with smaller or no tech-centric schools. Plus, Amazon may or may not want to be recognized positively for choosing to inject life into a fledgling city via. HQ2.

As far as Newark, the same point with respect to being a fledgling city also applies here. Plus, it's basically the perfect central location if Amazon wants easy access to all of the talent in the Boston - NYC - Philadelphia -DC corridor. Lastly, while Newark's taxes are high on paper, it still has an overall lower cost of living than DC, NYC or Boston and Amazon would be exempt from a lot of those taxes via. the $7 billion incentive package.

But I do agree that the main drawback for these places is their size. They simply don't have the infrastructure to handle the explosive growth Amazon would bring. That's why I only consider then dark horses and not top contenders.

bigstick · #**729** Posted **May 17, 2018, 9:22 PM**

This made me totally LMAO....

http://resonanceco.com/blog/the-5-cities-with-the-best-shot-at-amazon-hq2/

skyscraperpage17 · #**730** Posted **May 17, 2018, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bigstick

This made me totally LMAO....

http://resonanceco.com/blog/the-5-cities-with-the-best-shot-at-amazon-hq2/

^^^Click bait

atlwarrior · #**731** Posted **May 18, 2018, 2:12 PM**

I can't believe you all are still talking about Amazon when a computer pick the winner months ago. Yawn! Announce the decision already.

alco89 · #**732** Posted **May 18, 2018, 2:20 PM**

They have only just recently finished visiting the top 20 candidates.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3357386-nbc-news-amazon-visited-20-hq2-finalists

Atlanta3000 · #**733** Posted **May 18, 2018, 3:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlwarrior

I can't believe you all are still talking about Amazon when a computer pick the winner months ago. Yawn! Announce the decision already.

Interestingly, someone with the same handle (atlwarrior) was on CityData discussing this very subject yesterday. Hmmm.....

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlanta/2...ning-second-amazon-headquarters-281.html

atlwarrior · #**734** Posted **May 21, 2018, 7:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Interestingly, someone with the same handle (atlwarrior) was on CityData discussing this very subject yesterday. Hmmm.....

http://www.city-data.com/forum/atlanta/2...ning-second-amazon-headquarters-281.html

Well it really don't take a genius to figure that out. Since others are on both sites too. I said the same thing on Curbed Atlanta also.

Atlanta3000 · #**735** Posted **May 21, 2018, 7:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by atlwarrior

Well it really don't take a genius to figure that out. Since others are on both sites too. I said the same thing on Curbed Atlanta also.

You're right, it DOESN'T take a genius.

OTPandProud1974 · #**736** Posted **May 28, 2018, 3:09 PM**

It certainly bodes well for Atlanta in the race for HQ2. I guess the main issue will be whether the quality of these graduates is up to snuff for Amazon.

Quote:

According to the American Community Survey one-year estimates, as of year-end 2016 the percentage of 25 to 34-year olds with college degrees in Atlanta reached 60% compared to Dallas (37%), Charlotte (50%) Nashville (51%)
and Raleigh (56%). The steady flow of highly educated younger workers helps to keep the run-up in wages in check. It also is a big draw for tech firms and other businesses tasked with long-term payroll expansion campaigns.

http://www.savills-studley.com/research/market-reports/atlanta-office-market-report--q1-2018.pdf

Atlanta3000 · #**737** Posted **May 28, 2018, 3:21 PM**

Why Atlanta Beats Raleigh In the Quest for Apple's Headquarters In the South

https://www.inc.com/lisa-calhoun/why-atl...st-for-apples-headquarters-in-south.html

Quote:

* Easy airport connectivity to its other campuses for its own team and its suppliers.

* A steady stream of diverse talent from schools like Georgia State, Georgia Tech, UGA, Mercer, Emory, SCAD, and more.

* A transportation hub capable of supplying and scaling repairs and refurbs. With Delta and UPS headquartered in Atlanta, it's a clear logistics leader.

* International capacity not only through air, but also overseas. The largest single container terminal in North America is Port of Savannah, which also boasts the largest concentration of import distribution centers on the East Coast.

* Creativity--Apple's services core is fueled in part by cloud services, which are supported by music, video, gaming, AR and other digital creativity so core to Apple's unique elan.

* A business-forward political structure ripe for becoming more progressive, as evidenced by Georgia just tapping Stacey Abrams as the first black woman governor's candidate in the country.

skyscraperpage17 · #**738** Posted **May 28, 2018, 3:45 PM**

No doubt, Atlanta's the better fit on paper for Apple.

The question is, does Tim Cook actually want to be in Atlanta? All indications I've seen point to Raleigh being the winner.

Besides, I'd rather have Amazon over Apple any way. I'm also willing to bet if they get Apple, they will effectively be out of contention for HQ2.

jayden · #**739** Posted **May 28, 2018, 5:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

No doubt, Atlanta's the better fit on paper for Apple.

The question is, does Tim Cook actually want to be in Atlanta? All indications I've seen point to Raleigh being the winner.

Besides, I'd rather have Amazon over Apple any way. I'm also willing to bet if they get Apple, they will effectively be out of contention for HQ2.

Why can't Atlanta get both?

skyscraperpage17 · #**740** Posted **May 28, 2018, 5:33 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jayden

Why can't Atlanta get both?

It certainly could support both, and I'd love nothing more than for that to happen.

But like I said, at least with Apple, all signs are pointing to Raleigh getting it. Apple hasn't denied these reports, so there must be truth to them.

https://www.wral.com/north-carolina-appl...gle-campus-second-site-in-cary/17558985/