Amazon HQ2: Vancouver as a candidate?

twoNeurons · #1 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 6:20 PM**

Since I've been hearing a lot of buzz about Vancouver being a possibility for Amazon's HQ2, I thought I'd start a thread here.

Here's an article which shows the top 10 candidates ( US-centric of course ) of which Vancouver is absent... unless you count Vancouver, WA.

https://www.economy.com/dismal/analy...ns-Top-Cities/

My personal thoughts on this is that Vancouver doesn't have a chance. Recent rent increases, the real estate and cost of living, and other factors really work against Vancouver. It seems to me it's just rhetoric that the RE industry is using to keep people's hopes up of an upward resumption of real estate prices.

What are thoughts on SSP, I wonder?

I think Portland has a much better chance than Vancouver, personally. Proximity, good transit ( by US standards ), lots of options for inexpensive land, and a good deal of tech talent already in the area.

Austin Texas is another really good candidate. I just don't think Vancouver has a chance.

Denscity · #2 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 6:36 PM**

If Portland and Vancouver Wa are in the running then the argument that Vancouver BC is too close to Seattle over on the National thread holds no water.

trofirhen · #3 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 6:52 PM**

Seattle, in the NW corner of the USA, would seemingly want a city that is near the large Eastern markets. Miami, Atlanta, NYC, Austin, Dallas, etc make sense, but not Vancouver BC, IMO

jollyburger · #4 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 6:53 PM**

It's not going to be anywhere close to Seattle.

Migrant_Coconut · #5 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 7:33 PM**

Yup. The point of a second HQ is to anchor yourself in a completely different region from the one you're in; Vancouver is barely a three-hour drive.

Aroundtheworld · #6 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 8:02 PM**

I think Toronto has a very good chance of winning this. It checks all the boxes.

SpongeG · #7 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 10:02 PM**

Many articles are saying it will be austin or most likely denver.

Pinion · #8 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 10:56 PM**

We already had this discussion at length in the "is vancouver a legit tech hub lol" thread.

Vancouver isn't getting anything ever again unless the money laundering issue is fixed or dies out on its own.

Cypherus · #9 Posted **Oct 13, 2017, 11:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinion

We already had this discussion at length in the "is vancouver a legit tech hub lol" thread.

Vancouver isn't getting anything ever again unless the money laundering issue is fixed or dies out on its own.

Exactly. Prospective employees of any new Amazon HQ2 would not be able to afford living in Vancouver let alone find rental units, creating a disconnect.

jollyburger · #10 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 2:59 AM**

Well Amazon got another 76,000 square feet space downtown while their new building gets built.

http://business.financialpost.com/re...s-up-its-first

Aroundtheworld · #11 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 4:40 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cypherus

Exactly. Prospective employees of any new Amazon HQ2 would not be able to afford living in Vancouver let alone find rental units, creating a disconnect.

That doesn't add up. San Francisco and New York are much more expensive and have no problem attracting tech talent.

Migrant_Coconut · #12 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 4:56 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aroundtheworld

That doesn't add up. San Francisco and New York are much more expensive and have no problem attracting tech talent.

They also have comparatively higher salaries and bigger communities.

logan5 · #13 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 7:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinion

We already had this discussion at length in the "is vancouver a legit tech hub lol" thread.

Vancouver isn't getting anything ever again unless the money laundering issue is fixed or dies out on its own.

Actually not up to speed with the money laundering business in Vancouver. How does it work?

christmas · #14 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 8:46 AM**

There was a post in the Canada forum a few weeks back reporting that the execs want Boston to be their new home. While I hope it goes to Toronto, it won't be Canada.

trofirhen · #15 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 1:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by christmas

There was a post in the Canada forum a few weeks back reporting that the execs want Boston to be their new home. While I hope it goes to Toronto, it won't be Canada.

Somewhere in or around the huge Northeastern US megalopolis would make the most sense imo

Pinion · #16 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 5:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

Actually not up to speed with the money laundering business in Vancouver. How does it work?

Seriously? Siphon tens of millions from your corrupt homeland, spend it on Vancouver housing with others like you and cause housing prices to skyrocket for no reason. Make sure anyone in your family who's pregnant has their baby in Richmond so the kid can buy houses as a Canadian and sponsor you later on. The Chinese government can't touch you, and the Canadian government lets you get away with anything.

whatnext · #17 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

Actually not up to speed with the money laundering business in Vancouver. How does it work?

There's a good primer for you here. Let us know how it works out for you:

The B.C. Civil Forfeiture Office is attempting to seize a $5 million, 13,000 square-foot mansion in rural Richmond that was allegedly used for illegal gambling, money laundering, kidnapping and blood-soaked assaults.

The sprawling eight bedroom and 11-bathroom property — built on two-acres of Richmond agricultural land reserve — is also at the centre of an anti-gang investigation...

...A civil forfeiture action filed June 29 in B.C. Supreme Court alleges that defendant Wen Feng, a woman whose listed address is an expensive property in Aurora, a suburb north of Toronto, bought the Richmond property at 8880 Sidaway Road in October 2015. According to B.C. Assessment Authority records the sale price was $4.4 million.

But she wasn’t the real owner, and “acted as a nominee or ‘owner of convenience,’” the claim states. The other named defendant, Lap San Peter Pang, is Wen Feng’s brother and “the beneficial or ‘true’ owner of the property,” the claim alleges...
http://vancouversun.com/news/local-n...ney-laundering

whatnext · #18 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 6:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by logan5

Actually not up to speed with the money laundering business in Vancouver. How does it work?

Or you could try this:

In what's being described as a landmark case, a businessman accused of disappearing from China, after withdrawing a loan there equivalent to $10 million and reappearing in Vancouver in possession of several multi-million dollar Lower Mainland properties, has been ordered to repay the money.

In June 2016, lawyers for China CITIC Bank brought an application before a B.C. Supreme Court judge to freeze the assets of Shibiao Yan, who was accused of approving the withdrawal of a 50 million RMB line of credit extended to a company he controlled in China and never repaying it.

According to court documents, Yan, who has been living in Vancouver with his wife and daughter, purchased three homes in Surrey worth $1 million, $2.3 million and $3.1 million, while his wife paid $2.5 million for a Vancouver house...
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/britis...ions-1.3998380

Shall I go on, or do you have enough to work with now?

Given all this, it would be insane for Amazon to bring their head office here. The only reason they're adding space in YVR is for their "waiting room" of foreign worker who can't get into the USA, a second HQ would involve more than just that. Executives who could get a mansion in Denver or Austin aren't going to be thrilled about scraping up the same amount for a crackshack in Vancouver. Actually, Amazon would be better of taking it to some mid-Western American city and try to de-Trump that kind of place with their progressive corporate culture.

Sheba · #19 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 6:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by whatnext

Given all this, it would be insane for Amazon to bring their head office here. The only reason they're adding space in YVR is for their "waiting room" of foreign worker who can't get into the USA, a second HQ would involve more than just that. Executives who could get a mansion in Denver or Austin aren't going to be thrilled about scraping up the same amount for a crackshack in Vancouver. Actually, Amazon would be better of taking it to some mid-Western American city and try to de-Trump that kind of place with their progressive corporate culture.

I read an article earlier where the writer figured they're going to go with an eastern location, and in Canada due to Trump's immigration policies (and this was an American who would like Amazon to be in their hometown).

VancouverOfTheFuture · #20 Posted **Oct 14, 2017, 7:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheba

I read an article earlier where the writer figured they're going to go with an eastern location, and in Canada due to Trump's immigration policies (and this was an American who would like Amazon to be in their hometown).

Trump is a blip on the radar for a company like Amazon. he will be around for a MAX of 8 years. their HQ will be around for decades. it would be a dumb idea to base your location off of Trump since that is such a short term issue.