Amazon HQ2 losers respond to the news

Amazon has finally
announced its HQ2 decision.
Cliff
Owen/AP Images

• Amazon
  has officially
  crowned the winners of its second headquarters
  project, HQ2.
• The company will build offices in the Long
  Island City neighborhood of Queens, New York, and the newly
  formed National Landing area of Arlington, Virginia.
• 18 shortlisted cites lost out on the bid, but some locals are
  celebrating the news as a major victory. 

After a year-long search, Amazon
has finally announced where its new headquarters will be
located. 

In a blog post on
Tuesday, the e-commerce giant crowned two winners for its
HQ2: Long Island City in Queens, New York, and the newly
formed National Landing area of Arlington, Virginia.

Officials from the two winning locations celebrated their victory
online.

“When I took office, I said we would build a
new
New York State — one that is fiscally
responsible and fosters a business climate that is attractive to
growing companies and the industries of tomorrow … New York can
proudly say that we have attracted one of the largest, most
competitive economic development investments in U.S. history,”
New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said in Amazon’s
blog post announcing the HQ2 decision. 

Gov. Ralph Northam of Virginia echoed those
sentiments.

“This is a big win for Virginia – I’m proud Amazon
recognizes the tremendous assets the Commonwealth has to offer
and plans to deepen its roots here. Virginia put together a
proposal for Amazon that we believe represents a new model of
economic development for the 21st century, and I’m excited to say
that our innovative approach was successful.”

For the remaining
18 cities that spent several months trying to lure Amazon but
didn’t make the cut, today’s news might come as a big
disappointment. 

But that’s not the case for everyone. Many
people are rejoicing the news online, pointing out
the various downfalls that this sprawling headquarters could have
brought to their city. 

These people have likely taken note of the impact that many argue
Amazon has had on its current home in Seattle, where locals
complain of skyrocketing rents, prolonged construction,
gentrification, and gridlock traffic. 

Business Insider reported earlier this year that Seattle’s
median rent increased by nearly three times the national median

between 2005 and 2015. 

Read more: 7
horrible things that could happen to cities if they win Amazon’s
HQ2 bid

Amazon’s decision to split its headquarters across two cities
should help to alleviate some of these issues. However, it is
still likely to put pressure on the surrounding areas. 

Real estate brokers in Long Island City had already seen a spike
in inquiries for properties in the area after reports surfaced
that Amazon could select it for HQ2 last week. Some were even
buying property, sight-unseen, over text message,
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Tuesday. The
Journal’s story was published before Amazon had even made its
official HQ2 announcement. 

While the losing cities won’t be able to say they are
Amazon’s primary home, they can expect to see more of the
e-commerce giant as it expands its reach in other ways. 

“While other locations may be disappointed not to have secured
Amazon’s favor, it does not mean they will miss out entirely.
Amazon is making enormous investments in warehousing, regional
hubs and in retail stores,” Neil Saunders, managing director of
GlobalData Retail, wrote in a note to investors on Tuesday. 

“The company will expand both its customer-facing and back-end
operations across America, and the world, in the years to come.”

Read more about Amazon’s HQ2 project: