Amazon HQ2 bid

[skyscraperpage17]

While some are so focused on the negative possibilities wth Amazon, the below article really gets at a strong point, that point being while Amazon may only be projecting 50K jobs within 10-20 yeara, given the rate it's growing, it's also just as possible that Amazon could exceed (even significantly) their 50K jobs projection in a much shorter time frame...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.busines...azons-possible-move-to-their-city-2018-8

"When Amazon relocated its headquarters to Seattle's South Lake Union in 2010, the company was far from the behemoth it is today. City planners estimated that the company's 1.6 million square feet of office space would bring around 6,000 new employees to the area - a number that has since risen to around 45,000."

[N90]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Yes and almost as close as you can get to the source. With that said, the announcement September 10th may be a shortened list or the final pick.

One year of speculation can end tomorrow

[jayden]

Let's just get that official announcement please.

[atlwarrior]

Originally Posted by N90

One year of speculation can end tomorrow

LMBO! Nothing but crickets and silence.

[MARTAisSmarta]

https://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2018/09/10/amazon-joins-the-d-c-chamber.html

Amazon.com Inc. has joined the D.C. Chamber of Commerce, a move that further cements the company's presence in a region that is on the short list for the online retail and web services giant's second headquarters.

Vincent Orange, the chamber's president and CEO, told me that Amazon was invoiced in late August for $2,285, the membership cost for companies with between 101 to 200 employees in the District.

"Amazon certainly is a major, major catch for us," Orange said. "To be able to have them as part of our membership is just great. As a member, clearly we would anticipate them being part of the government affairs committee."

Ah, yes. The news we were all waiting for today.

[skyscraperpage17]

In all fairness, I think it was said that some type of update would be during the week of 9/10, not necessarily on 9/10

[montydawg]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

In all fairness, I think it was said that some type of update would be during the week of 9/10, not necessarily on 9/10

The vote on the incentives package for CIM will be held on 17 September. I would think that some of Amazon’s incentives are ‘juiced in’ to the CIM incentive package, probably because the city cannot directly deal with Amazon publicly because of the non disclosure agreements. I bet many of those incentives will flow to amazon through a third party, and the developer is the perfect conduit for it. I would think amazon has a deal with CIM to provide them reduced rent in exchange for attracting the huge incentive package. I could be wrong.

[N90]

Originally Posted by skyscraperpage17

In all fairness, I think it was said that some type of update would be during the week of 9/10, not necessarily on 9/10

New timeline

By 11:59 PM eastern Sunday Sept. 16

[AlwaysMoving]

Originally Posted by montydawg

The vote on the incentives package for CIM will be held on 17 September. I would think that some of Amazon’s incentives are ‘juiced in’ to the CIM incentive package, probably because the city cannot directly deal with Amazon publicly because of the non disclosure agreements. I bet many of those incentives will flow to amazon through a third party, and the developer is the perfect conduit for it. I would think amazon has a deal with CIM to provide them reduced rent in exchange for attracting the huge incentive package. I could be wrong.

If Amazon has a deal with CIM for the Gulch, why don't they just announce Atlanta is the home of HQ2?

[ThrashATL]

Originally Posted by AlwaysMoving

If Amazon has a deal with CIM for the Gulch, why don't they just announce Atlanta is the home of HQ2?

You know why.

[Username123]

Are there any examples of situations similar to what is going on with CIM/The Gulch in other cities on Amazon’s list? I know some particular development sites have been suggested, but are developers going through similar motions, buying land, and working towards incentives in any of the other locations as if HQ2 is going to be there? I am sure large projects similar to the Gulch are happening elsewhere, I am just curious if it’s happening in a similar way for any other specific development site that Amazon has expressed interest in.

[Street Advocate]

Originally Posted by Username123

Are there any examples of situations similar to what is going on with CIM/The Gulch in other cities on Amazon’s list? I know some particular development sites have been suggested, but are developers going through similar motions, buying land, and working towards incentives in any of the other locations as if HQ2 is going to be there? I am sure large projects similar to the Gulch are happening elsewhere, I am just curious if it’s happening in a similar way for any other specific development site that Amazon has expressed interest in.

Chicago has a few HQ2 sites with tenants and moving forward (I believe this is the case for both Lincoln yards and the old post office)

[Ant131531]

People are putting too much faith in Atlanta3000. It's simply arrogant to assume Atlanta has already won this.

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

People are putting too much faith in Atlanta3000. It's simply arrogant to assume Atlanta has already won this.

You are right Ant131531, for once - j/k. Nobody should put their faith in me (worship/absolutely - faith/not so much). Everyone should put their faith in the data/information. Asked yourself what data points best illustrates where Amazon is targeting their HQ2?

* Amazon spending $2,400 to join the Washington Chamber of Commerce

OR

* The Mayor of Atlanta and the Governor negotiating multi-Billion dollar incentives with CIM Group and are planned to get the City Council Monday to sign off on the final incentive package. Lastly and more importantly, Governor Deal already has the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) for the State's incentive package for HQ2. Therefore, no special Legislative session is needed.

Connect the Dots!!!!

[wonshirim]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

You are right Ant131531, for once - j/k. Nobody should put their faith in me (worship/absolutely - faith/not so much). Everyone should put their faith in the data/information. Asked yourself what data points best illustrates where Amazon is targeting their HQ2?

* Amazon spending $2,400 to join the Washington Chamber of Commerce

OR

* The Mayor of Atlanta and the Governor negotiating multi-Billion dollar incentives with CIM Group and are planned to get the City Council Monday to sign off on the final incentive package. Lastly and more importantly, Governor Deal already has the Best and Final Offer (BAFO) for the State's incentive package for HQ2. Therefore, no special Legislative session is needed.

Connect the Dots!!!!

I agree that Atlanta's made it to the Super Bowl. But remember we can always slip in the last minute.

Amazon could be using Atlanta's incentive package to force NoVa/DC to up their deal. If you hear about people who have worked with Amazon, their testimonies show the Amazon way of slowly dragging deals from acquisitions to procurement.

Though I haven't worked with Amazon myself, my colleagues and friends from my time in Silicon Valley tell me negotiations with Amazon are very slow and grueling because they have always used their size and scale to consistently force bidders to beat the last party standing.

Considering the enormity of the HQ2 project, I wouldn't draw conclusions so early. What we know is our state and city have prepared a competitive deal package, and ATL3000 seems to have identified clues of possible relocation logistics if they choose Atlanta.

Unless Amazon has chosen the DC area from the get go and started this charade to have cities fight for incentives, we'll have a good chance. But has Jeff Bezos even visited Atlanta during this period?

[Atlanta3000]

Originally Posted by wonshirim

I agree that Atlanta's made it to the Super Bowl. But remember we can always slip in the last minute.

Amazon could be using Atlanta's incentive package to force NoVa/DC to up their deal. If you hear about people who have worked with Amazon, their testimonies show the Amazon way of slowly dragging deals from acquisitions to procurement.

Though I haven't worked with Amazon myself, my colleagues and friends from my time in Silicon Valley tell me negotiations with Amazon are very slow and grueling because they have always used their size and scale to consistently force bidders to beat the last party standing.

Considering the enormity of the HQ2 project, I wouldn't draw conclusions so early. What we know is our state and city have prepared a competitive deal package, and ATL3000 seems to have identified clues of possible relocation logistics if they choose Atlanta.

Unless Amazon has chosen the DC area from the get go and started this charade to have cities fight for incentives, we'll have a good chance. But has Jeff Bezos even visited Atlanta during this period?

The number 1 rule of negotiations is when you are asked from your prospect to give your BAFO (Best and Final Offer), you get commitment from your prospect the deal is no longer competitive, but financial.

Again, note what is happening right now in Atlanta/GA. Do you see this occurring in any other of the 19 finalists? No.

Connect the dots....

[wonshirim]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

The number 1 rule of negotiations is when you are asked from your prospect to give your BAFO (Best and Final Offer), you get commitment from your prospect the deal is no longer competitive, but financial.

Again, note what is happening right now in Atlanta/GA. Do you see this occurring in any other of the 19 finalists? No.

Connect the dots....

You know I agree with you and I see where you're going with this. But just because other cities' bids or whereabouts are undisclosed publicly doesn't seem to mean Atlanta is the only candidate standing.

How can you be sure that the Sept 17 package is our BAFO? I heard last month Maryland Governor Hogan mention Montgomery County upping their deal (but without details). I still see at least two, possibly three cities in the final spurt and I'm skeptical the lack of publicly available updates on other cities is sufficient to conclude that our most recent package is our final offer--and more importantly--the only final offer Amazon is working with.

Either way, I guess CIM Group is a real winner. Kudos to them for pulling this off.

[AlwaysMoving]

Originally Posted by Username123

Are there any examples of situations similar to what is going on with CIM/The Gulch in other cities on Amazon’s list? I know some particular development sites have been suggested, but are developers going through similar motions, buying land, and working towards incentives in any of the other locations as if HQ2 is going to be there? I am sure large projects similar to the Gulch are happening elsewhere, I am just curious if it’s happening in a similar way for any other specific development site that Amazon has expressed interest in.

I have heard grumblings from Developers in other cities about being tired of waiting for Amazon. They want to develop something on their site, but are stuck waiting. It sounds like nobody in the industry has heard a peep from Amazon.

There seems to be a lot more conversations about HQ2 in Atlanta, but it's been that way since they announced the finalists. Feels like the people and politicians in Atlanta want HQ2 the most.

[skyscraperpage17]

Originally Posted by wonshirim

You know I agree with you and I see where you're going with this. But just because other cities' bids or whereabouts are undisclosed publicly doesn't seem to mean Atlanta is the only candidate standing.

How can you be sure that the Sept 17 package is our BAFO? I heard last month Maryland Governor Hogan mention Montgomery County upping their deal (but without details). I still see at least two, possibly three cities in the final spurt and I'm skeptical the lack of publicly available updates on other cities is sufficient to conclude that our most recent package is our final offer--and more importantly--the only final offer Amazon is working with.

Either way, I guess CIM Group is a real winner. Kudos to them for pulling this off.

Well said. 100% agreed on alll points.

It's really all a matter of just keeping expectations in check. Data points can be misleading too, and my fear is that some people have convinced themselves that their city is the chosen one to the point that the backlash when they're not selected is going to be extreme.

[jct3]

Originally Posted by Atlanta3000

Asked yourself what data points best illustrates where Amazon is targeting their HQ2?

But you have said you knew that Amazon had signed a LOI for a lease in the AT&T building. If you know that, you don't need any other data points. A million SF is a huge amount of space.

I still think it's going to be DC, but I hold out hope.