Dallas, Texas, is one of the HQ2 contenders.f11photo/Shutterstock
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Amazon is revisiting some of the cities shortlisted for its new headquarters, HQ2, The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.
- Those cities include New York, Newark, Miami, and Chicago, according to The Journal.
- 20 cities are still in the running, and Amazon is expected to announce a decision before the end of the year. Find out more about their proposals below.
It’s been nine months since Amazon announced its short list of 20 cities that could become home to its new headquarters, but the world is still none the wiser as to where it will be. And, it seems possible that Amazon isn’t, either.
The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Amazon has been revisiting some of the cities on the short list, including New York, Newark, Miami, and Chicago. Other cities, such as Raleigh, North Carolina, reportedly haven’t heard from Amazon in months.
Sources familiar with the matter told the Journal that Amazon is still in negotiations and hasn’t finalized a deal with any of the locations yet.
For the new headquarters, Amazon said it plans to invest over $5 billion and accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs, making it one of the largest corporate-civic giveaways in modern American history.
It initially received 238 proposals from North American locations that were eager to become its new home. At the start, Amazon outlined several requirements for cities, including access to an international airport, a population of more than one million, and a “stable and business-friendly environment.”
Take a look at the proposals from the cities that are still in the running:
Leanna Garfield contributed reporting to an earlier version of this article.
Atlanta, Georgia
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Possible sites: A 120-acre site that includes railroads and parking lots in Downtown Atlanta has been named as the city’s primary site for HQ2, sources told The Atlantic Business Chronicle.
Population: 472,522
Nearest international airports: Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport
Notable universities: Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse College
Economic incentives: The mayor of Atlanta said the state and city are offering incentives and infrastructure improvements that would total over $1 billion.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Atlanta has the fourth lowest home values and rents of the finalists, making it an appealing place for its 50,000 employees to come and live.
Austin, Texas
Possible sites: The city has not confirmed which sites have been proposed. However, the Austin Business Journal reported that a local real estate developer had been considering pitching the Broadmoor Campus, which is partly occupied by IBM in the north of Austin.
Population: 947,890
Nearest international airports: Austin–Bergstrom International Airport
Notable universities: Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at Austin
Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Austin is a well-known tech hub, but it has a lower cost of living than other tech cities like San Francisco and Seattle. Plus, Amazon would benefit from being close to one of its corporate offices as well as Whole Foods’ headquarters.
Boston, Massachusetts
Possible sites: The city published an in-depth proposal outlining all the sites it had pitched in Boston. Its first recommendation was the Suffolk Downs racetrack between East Boston and Revere. However, three other areas were also presented around Downtown Boston and the waterfront, the South End/Back Bay area, and the Allston/Brighton area.
Population: 673,184
Nearest international airports: Logan International Airport
Notable universities: Boston University, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT, and Northeastern University
Economic incentives: The city will not offer tax breaks to Amazon.
Why Amazon could choose the city: There’s a good public transportation infrastructure within the city, and it’s well-connected to other major cities along the East Coast.
Chicago, Illinois
Possible sites: The city has proposed 10 different sites in a mix of urban and suburban locations. These include two in the city center: The Downtown Gateway District and City Center Campus; six in industrial areas surrounding the city: Lincoln Yards, The River District, Fulton Market, The Illinois Medical District, The 78, and Burnham Lakefront; plus two outside the city: Motorola’s former headquarters in Schaumburg and McDonald’s former headquarters in Oak Brook.
Population: 2,704,958
Nearest international airports: O’Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport
Notable universities: University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Loyola University Chicago, and the University of Illinois at Chicago
Economic incentives: As The Chicago Reader notes, Chicago is offering Amazon $1.32 billion of the personal income taxes paid by the company’s workers annually. This might not be the only economic incentive included in the proposal. Last October, sources familiar with Chicago’s bid told WTTW’s Chicago Tonight that the city would also grant $400 million in infrastructure and capital spending around HQ2.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Chicago is already an important business hub.
Columbus, Ohio
Possible sites: In a letter obtained by The Columbus Dispatch, the Mayor of Columbus outlined three areas as potential sites: Franklinton, the Ohio State University area, and Easton.
Population: 860,090
Nearest international airports: John Glenn Columbus International Airport
Notable universities: Ohio State University
Economic incentives: The city has offered considerable financial incentives including a 15-year 100% property tax abatement on sites where Amazon invests, incentives for creating jobs, and funds to improve the infrastructure. In addition, Amazon would get a refund of 35% on income-tax withholdings from new full-time employees at its new headquarters. That’s as much as $50 million annually, or up to $400 million over 15 years.
Why Amazon could choose the city: It’s affordable.
Dallas, Texas
Possible sites: The Dallas-area bid included more than two dozen cities in the North Texas area, The Texas Tribune reported. Developers from the firms Matthews Southwest and Texas Central Partners have also pitched a transit-oriented development that would include a bullet train for Amazon’s HQ2 campus, according to the Dallas Business Journal.
Population: 1,317,942
Nearest international airport: Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Notable universities: University of Texas at Dallas, Southern Methodist University, Texas Christian University, and University of Dallas
Economic incentives: The City of Dallas will offer tax breaks, but it did not disclose specifics.
Why Amazon could choose the city: The Dallas-Fort Worth area boasts ethnic diversity, a thriving economy, and one of the fastest-growing technology industries in the nation.
Denver, Colorado
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Possible sites: Local experts say eight sites were proposed, and land near Denver International Airport has been listed as a potential site.
Population: 693,060
Nearest international airports: Denver International Airport
Notable universities: University of Colorado Denver and University of Denver
Economic incentives: Sam Bailey, president of Metro Denver EDC — the development agency that made the proposal — said incentives could be “in excess of $100 million,” The Denver Post reported.
Why Amazon could choose the city: In 2016, the city was voted the best place to live in America by U.S. News and World Report, and it has become a cultural hub.
Indianapolis, Indiana
Possible sites: No locations have been disclosed.
Population: 693,060
Nearest international airports: Indianapolis International Airport
Notable universities: Indiana University — Purdue University Indianapolis, Butler University, and Ivy Tech Community College
Economic incentives: City officials will not disclose whether they included tax breaks in their bid.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Indianapolis has low housing prices.
Los Angeles, California
Possible sites: Nine locations, including Pomona Fairplex and Warner Center’s former Rocketdyne plant.
Population: 3,976,322
Nearest international airport: Los Angeles International Airport
Notable universities: UCLA, University of Southern California, California State University and Loyola Marymount University
Economic incentives: California’s governor’s office will offer $300 million to Amazon in tax breaks, Reuters reports. But a bill introduced last year in California’s state assembly could give the company even more — up to $1 billion in tax breaks over 10 years.
Why Amazon could choose the city: “We’ve got rockets and rock stars, more engineers and more sunshine,” Mayor Eric Garcetti told the Los Angeles Times in a statement. “The Olympics, two NFL teams, and George Lucas all know LA is the future — so should Amazon.”
Miami, Florida
Possible sites: According to the CEO of the organization submitting the proposal, South Florida submitted eight sites for consideration. These include five in Miami-Dade County, two in Broward County, and one in Palm Beach County, The Miami Herald reported.
Population: 453,579
Nearest international airports: Miami International Airport and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport
Notable universities: University of Miami and Florida International University
Economic incentives: Financial incentives have not been disclosed.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Florida has no state income tax.
Montgomery County, Maryland
Possible sites: The state is keeping the bid confidential.
Population: 1,043,863
Nearest international airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport
Notable universities: University of Maryland, George Mason University, and Johns Hopkins University
Economic incentives: On April 4, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan approved $6.5 billion in tax incentives for Amazon, with an additional $2 billion in promised infrastructure and transportation improvements for Montgomery County, according to The Baltimore Sun.
Why Amazon could choose the county: The location is close to Northern Virginia and Washington, DC.
Nashville, Tennessee
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Possible sites: There is some speculation that HQ2 could land at several locations, including at Century Farms, in East Nashville, in Cool Springs/Williamson County, or near Nashville’s airport/Buchanan Point.
Population: 644,014
Nearest international airport: Nashville International Airport
Notable universities: Vanderbilt University, Lipscomb University, and Belmont University
Economic incentives: City officials will not disclose whether they included tax breaks in their bid.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Nashville has a quality tech workforce.
Newark, New Jersey
Possible sites: 33 Washington Street; 520 Broad Street; 2 Gateway Center; Matrix Riverfront Plaza; Lotus Riverfront/Bears Stadium; Mulberry Commons/Ironbound; Broad and Market/SoMA, according to Real Estate NJ.
Population: 281,764
Nearest international airport: Newark Liberty International Airport
Notable universities: Rutgers University and New Jersey Institute of Technology
Economic incentives: Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and state legislative leaders said they would offer Amazon tax breaks worth $7 billion over the next decade if the company decides to build in Newark.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Newark is promising a very large tax incentive package. HQ2 would also attract tech talent from New York City, which is located just 15 miles away.
New York City, New York
Possible sites: Various locations that collectively span over 26 million square feet in Midtown West, the Financial District, the Brooklyn Tech Triangle, and Long Island City.
Population: 8,537,673
Nearest international airports: John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport
Notable universities: Columbia University, Barnard College, New York University, and Fordham University
Economic incentives: City officials will not disclose whether they included tax breaks in their bid.
Why Amazon could choose the city: NYC has multiple international airports, a large tech industry, and a diverse culture.
Northern Virginia, Virginia
Arlington, VirginiaSean Pavone/Shutterstock
Possible sites: The bid mentions the Hub property, an 85-acre undeveloped site near Dulles Airport, according to LoudounNow.
Population: 2,775,354
Nearest international airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Washington Dulles International Airport, and Richmond International Airport
Notable university: University of Northern Virginia
Economic incentives: City officials will not disclose whether they included tax breaks in their bid.
Why Amazon could choose the region: The location is close to Montgomery County, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
A rendering of the Schuylkill Yards mixed-use development in Philadelphia.Shop/West 8
Possible sites: Philadelphia officials pitched three unfinished developments — Schuylkill Yards, uCity Square, and Navy Yard — that span an estimated 28 million square feet, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Population: 1,567,872
Nearest international airport: Philadelphia International Airport
Notable universities: University of Pennsylvania, Temple University, La Salle University, and Drexel University
Economic incentives: The state of Pennsylvania is reportedly offering Amazon “more than $1 billion” in tax breaks for its campus, according to The Philadelphia Inquirer. Philadelphia submitted a separate bid and is reportedly considering a tax exemption worth up to $2 billion over 10 years.
Why Amazon could choose the city: All possible HQ2 sites in Philadelphia are ready for immediate development and are home to hundreds of other companies that Amazon could recruit from.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Possible sites: The city is keeping the bid confidential.
Population: 303,625
Nearest international airport: Pittsburgh International Airport
Notable universities: University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University
Economic incentives: City officials will not disclose whether they included tax breaks in their bid.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Pittsburgh has a strong tech talent pool and affordable commercial space.
Raleigh, North Carolina
Possible sites: The city is keeping the bid confidential, but Research Triangle Regional Partnership Executive Director Ryan Combs told WRAL there are proposed sites in Wake, Durham, and Chatham counties.
Population: 458,880
Nearest international airport: Raleigh–Durham International Airport
Notable university: North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Economic incentives: Amazon could be reimbursed for up to 100% of the withholding taxes from the new jobs it creates for up to 25 years, The News & Observer reports. The company would also receive up to $50 million for HQ2’s infrastructure like water, sewer, and rail access, with the money coming from a reserve account of $80 million in the state’s general fund. In addition, another program called the One North Carolina Fund could award up to $5,000 per year, per job, for up to five years.
Why Amazon could choose the city: There is ample space for HQ2 in Raleigh.
Toronto, Ontario
Possible sites: The regional Toronto bid listed several sites downtown and nine in suburban areas, including one in downtown Mississauga next to the Square One Shopping Centre, according to The Globe and Mail.
Population: 2,731,571
Nearest international airport: Toronto Pearson International Airport
Notable university: University of Toronto
Economic incentives: The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.
Why Amazon could choose the city: Canada’s immigration-friendly policies could help Amazon attract global talent more easily than a US city.
Washington, DC
Possible sites: Buzzard Point, The Yards, and Poplar Point.
Population: 693,972
Nearest international airports: Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport
Notable universities: Georgetown University, American University, George Washington University, and Howard University
Economic incentives: Amazon could qualify for a $500 million incentives package, including relocation reimbursements of up to $7,500 per worker that moves to DC and wage reimbursements of up to $30,000 per new job it creates locally with military veterans; a five-year corporate franchise tax exemption up to $15 million; a five-year freeze on property taxes on every building the company occupies in DC; a 10-year exemption on personal property taxes; and a sales tax exemption in perpetuity on its investment in qualified new purchases, The Washington Business Journal reported in January.
Why Amazon could choose the city: DC’s large number of competitive universities could create an employee pipeline for Amazon.
