Amazon HQ2

[urbancore]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

There's some army tech command that Austin is in the running for which has pretty much been flying under the radar. I have mixed feelings about it, mostly negative. Having said that, it is a significant economic driver if Austin is ultimately chosen.

I'm the same way about Amazon HQ2, I don't care if they come and would rather they not. Most people I know around here are not thrilled with the idea and let's face it, they already employ thousands of people here and will no doubt be hiring more.

Most people in Austin are never thrilled about anything, Austinites bitch like they get paid to do it.

If we get HQ2, it will be a net positive for the majority. “The need of the many outway the need of the few”. I will always support good high paying jobs. I grew up in a miserable economy in Mississippi in the 70-80’s. A sure fire way out of a shitty life is more/better employment.

Longtime residents of any town USA bitch non-stop about anything you ask them about. In the main, of course.

[ILUVSAT]

As I have said before, Austin is not getting HQ2. I hope I'm wrong...but, I'm have been pretty confident for some time now.

Politically, if Austin were an "real" contender, and having a 10-1 council, I believe you would see more positive "push" from your council members. At this moment...there's crickets.

[hookem]

I don't think anyone should count Austin out, because I believe the "competition" was more about other things and they already had a strong preference in location. And I think Austin could very well have been be the strong preference.

The "search" could have been about -

1) Getting press
2) Gathering competitive offers to use as leverage for a final negotiation with preferred location
3) Qualifying for incentives, such as the Texas Enterprise Fund, which require such a competitive process where Texas is competing with sites in other states.

If that were the case, such knowledge would be tightly held. Maybe the governor, mayor, and city manager would know.

Of course this would apply to any of the other cities, they could have been the strong preference before the public competition. And Amazon could always change their mind, or split up the project.

Plus I also think Amazon is thinking about the looming antitrust issues. Having a huge presence in an influential red state could keep the heat off.

[Jdawgboy]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

Most people in Austin are never thrilled about anything, Austinites bitch like they get paid to do it.

If we get HQ2, it will be a net positive for the majority. “The need of the many outway the need of the few”. I will always support good high paying jobs. I grew up in a miserable economy in Mississippi in the 70-80’s. A sure fire way out of a shitty life is more/better employment.

Longtime residents of any town USA bitch non-stop about anything you ask them about. In the main, of course.

I agree that people bitch about everything even when it's beneficial, but honestly the more I hear from people that I know who live in Seattle who say that Amazon has hijacked their city, the more I don't like the idea. I'm sorry but I could care less about their high paying jobs, I don't want that to happen to my beloved Austin, we are already dealing with affordability issues as well as other growing pains. There are some things worth fighting for and you know the jobs are gonna keep coming regardless as more companies continue to expand and invest here including Amazon. They own Whole Foods now. We can be picky for the sake of our quality of life.

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by Dcbrickley

Most people in Austin are never thrilled about anything, Austinites bitch like they get paid to do it.

If we get HQ2, it will be a net positive for the majority. “The need of the many outway the need of the few”. I will always support good high paying jobs. I grew up in a miserable economy in Mississippi in the 70-80’s. A sure fire way out of a shitty life is more/better employment.

Longtime residents of any town USA bitch non-stop about anything you ask them about. In the main, of course.

AGREE... If you don't want this then go to Toledo where I grew up. They'd give their limbs for this. This city is spoiled to point of pollution when we kick a good deal for a pro sports franchise out, don't wan't new jobs and a legit corp HQ....

I'm in Seattle (not for Amazon) every other month... So many surface lots replaced with jobs. I get pace of change causes massive effects on supply, but cities will work through it over years. IF you want status quo... go hit the rust belt hard.

[MichaelB]

Originally Posted by Jdawgboy

I agree that people bitch about everything even when it's beneficial, but honestly the more I hear from people that I know who live in Seattle who say that Amazon has hijacked their city, the more I don't like the idea. I'm sorry but I could care less about their high paying jobs, I don't want that to happen to my beloved Austin, we are already dealing with affordability issues as well as other growing pains. There are some things worth fighting for and you know the jobs are gonna keep coming regardless as more companies continue to expand and invest here including Amazon. They own Whole Foods now. We can be picky for the sake of our quality of life.

If they want to be here.... let them make it work. We do not need one company dominating the economy again and the city bending over backwards for it. . When Dell was "it' here. One hick-up from them and our local economy suffered. UT holds so much sway they get practically anything they want. Yep I think we are in a place where if enough folks from Amazonia what to live here.... they need to cough it us like everyone else.
That's not whining or complaining... that's seeing what we have as an asset and folks who want a piece need to understand the value.

[bigstick]

ATLANTA makes more sense than any city on the MAP.......

[The ATX]

...said an Atlanta booster.

There have been some articles during the past two days stating that Amazon has contacted the 20 finalists to say they will probably have a small list of finalists picked from the 20 in a "couple months".

[chinchaaa]

With the recent Delta news, this must be good news for Austin's bid. In addition to Seattle already being a Delta hub, new direct domestic and hopefully international flights will be a huge boom to our pitch.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by chinchaaa

With the recent Delta news, this must be good news for Austin's bid. In addition to Seattle already being a Delta hub, new direct domestic and hopefully international flights will be a huge boom to our pitch.

Or this could all be based on current tech demand at AUS, along with the already very high rate of people moving here per year. Not to be a downer but I don’t think Delta’s news has much to do with the new HQ. I think the choice will be between Atlanta and Austin and with Atlanta’s large airport and nice location on the East Coast, they will win out. Shipments to and from Europe and beyond would be cheaper and faster.

Even if Austin were to lose on the bid, I would think Amazon would still invest in the city given how much everyone adores it currently. With an influx of education and tech, as well as lot of things to do, Amazon could open a sizable office here.

[Novacek]

Originally Posted by masonh2479

Shipments to and from Europe and beyond would be cheaper and faster.

They don't ship from the headquarters. They ship from warehouses and fulfillment centers.

[masonh2479]

Originally Posted by Novacek

They don't ship from the headquarters. They ship from warehouses and fulfillment centers.

Ok

[StoOgE]

Austin getting a focus city treatment can't hurt anything as far as our HQ2 likelihood. I still think something in the Eastern time zone makes the most sense for European operations overlap with the West coast providing ok Asian operations overlap already.

[We vs us]

This was interesting to me:

https://www.geekwire.com/2018/amazon...ick-boston-hq/

Amazon, JPMorgan and Berkshire Hathaway reveal CEO for new health venture, pick Boston as HQ

After months of speculation, Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway announced the CEO of their new health venture Wednesday.

The company will be led by surgeon and Harvard Medical School professor Dr. Atul Gawande and will be headquartered in Boston, an unsurprising choice given the city’s expertise in medicine and biotechnology. None of the three founding companies are headquartered in the Boston area, which gives the city the advantage of being neutral ground.

This is the first possible step along what I call the Richard Florida HQ2 model -- he was the first to suggest that the HQ2 search was as much to identify places for different Amazon business units as the HQ itself.

I could see us losing on the HQ2 bid, for instance, but getting the inevitable Whole Foods expansion, or maybe pairing that with the Prime unit, or etc.

[_Matt]

When a skyscraper development forum turns into a conspiracy theory site.

[kingkirbythe....]

Originally Posted by _Matt

When a skyscraper development forum turns into a conspiracy theory site.

HAHAHA! You are correct.

Fuck Amazon. Shitty company.

[urbancore]

from ABJ, not a great sign for Austin.....

"Amazon.com Inc. is hiring an economic development manager with "prior experience with economic incentives" in Washington, D.C., one of the frontrunners for HQ2."

[The ATX]

It looks like DC for the win:

Responsibilities would include working on site selection, "new corporate initiatives, site expansion plans and requirements," and working with "state and community economic development, workforce and labor, taxation, and other key government agency officials, as well as chambers of commerce, utilities, and other key public/private stakeholder groups," according to the posting.

https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...ashington.html

[ATXboom]

Originally Posted by The ATX

It looks like DC for the win:



https://www.bizjournals.com/austin/n...ashington.html

This should surprise no one. They finalized 3 sites in the DC area - that was all the insight I needed when the finalists were announced.

[GoldenBoot]

Read it closer...the position will be based in D.C., but, "could" require relocation.

Hummmmm.