We are just north of Seattle and our city was putting together what it described as a bid to attract HQ2, which I thought was an interesting way of describing it.

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Long Chile was a silly place.

amazon is the walmart of the digital age.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ-ΛΑΒΕ
we're doomed

Well of course it's a combination of both. Economics is like that.

But I'd argue that Amazon benefited from an existing hi-tech talent pool (thanks, Microsoft!), ability to attract workers to a nice place to live, proximity to top Universities, and (back when Amazon was about books), proximity to major book publishers.

Of course Seattle benefited from the influx of high-quality workers, tax revenue, etc.

They just had on the news how the town near me (upstate) NY has put a bid in on bringing the HQ here. They have a prime spot picked out for them and everything. It was also mentioned how they would have to vastly expand traffic patterns and infrastructure to accommodate them. Made me think maybe its not such a prime site after all. I would think they would pick a place that already has this in place and can aalready accomodate them. Although it would be nice if they came to this area... Could only help the area.

My state put together what they call a 'modest' bid. Basically we got no chance, but can't say we didn't try. Which is fine with me.

So why wouldn't Amazon do something like IBM? IBM HQ is fairly small compared to other blue chips (Armonk, NY).They have tons of other small sites in lower cost of living areas all around the country. There is a larger concentration of sites around HQ, all within an hour or two.

Beats me! I just saw the news story about Amazon and remembered this thread. If they put the HQ at the site they proposed, that will be huge boost to the area and economy. Shit, in the town I live in now, Mc Donald's of all places couldn't afford the rent and moved out... Out went Pizza Hut , KFC, BK... KMart.. It could only be a good thing for the community and communities surrounding it. I hope they get it but I have my doubts they will.

I'm just guessing....Buffalo?

They need anything to stimulate their economy.

No. But they are bidding too according to the report. I am across the Hudson river from Albany. I live in East Greenbush. The site they want it to go is right across the river from Albany in Rensselear right on river front property. The site primed and ready for something to be built there. Rensselear is just down the hill from East Greenbush.

Rochester or Buffalo?

Both have a few decent universities but I don't think either is a realistic option. I went to school in Rochester, it's a depressing place to live. Amazon would do wonders to the community but they're not looking at it as a community development opportunity, they're looking at it as a business opportunity and Rochester and Buffalo need far too many infrastructure changes and have far too many drawbacks (lack of talent, weather, relative size of city to absorb) as compared to other landing spots around the country. That's my take, at least. One of the biggies--Austin, Denver, DC, Boston, Pittsburgh, Chicago--is going to give them a sweetheart deal and that's where they'll land, imo.

In that case...where is the talent coming from? 50K mostly tech jobs, RPI is there but how much local talent is really available in that area?

Amazon is looking for an established community of tech workers, along with strong universities for future talent. Never mind the logistics of absorbing that many high-paying jobs in an area that has a tiny population, I mean what does the housing market look like, the school systems?

I just don't see any way Amazon goes with anything but one of the bigger metro areas, based on what they've said.

I dont know. But Global Foundries moved into the Malta area (just north of here) and they are a pretty big tech company. I think they are still expanding. We have SUNY Albany, SUNY Polytech (nano college) in the area. Plus I could see alot of people moving into the area for jobs. I work IT for the State and would consider making the jump. The talent doesnt have to be local. Unless Amazon specified that.. I dont know. I imagine people would come from all over looking for work no matter where they put the HQ. As for housing , again where ever they land you would see new housing developments going up.. We have some really good school systems and of course some really bad ones. We have basically 3 cities that is considered the capitol region. really short commute from either any of them. Just so you know I am trying to argue they will end up here. I am saying I hope they do but like you said... I doubt they will.

Ah, had a good friend grow up in Rexford. As one high school teacher told me "The industrial revolution came and went, what remains is upstate NY."

Caltech is in Pasadena, and Harvey Mudd is in Claremont. #notlosangeles

LOL!! Boy isn't that the truth!!!

Toledo, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Dayton.... I'm sure they're getting offers from a shit ton of other cities...

http://www.13abc.com/...n-HQ2-447755013.html

Denver put a bid together but it was more just telling them how much they would save based on the number of employees in tax breaks but not much. Given that we can’t figure out our current transportation issues I don’t have a problem with it.

Those distinctions would be lost on anyone outside of greater LA.

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Books @ Amazon
"If only he had used his genius for niceness, instead of Evil." M. Smart

Stopped reading after two pages.


Question: why is everyone assuming that Amazon would want an HQ near universities with great CS programs? They aren't Apple or Google. An enormous part of their business is shipping, warehousing, logistics, marketing, building business relationships, and expanding into new markets. Sure, they've got a good website, but hell, for all we know they might even outsource that.

Correct me if I'm wrong. I don't work a snack cart at Amazon, but I do know a couple of people who work there.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

They are absolutely like Apple or Google. Most of their growth in recent years has been in "cloud computing." They host Netflix and Dropbox, for example. You couldn't be more wrong about outsourcing their Web site. Amazon Web Services (AWS) is the go-to service for other business outsourcing Web services. They offer "cloud" storage, CPU, etc. cheaper than anyone is able to. Their warehouse automation and worldwide logistics are 2nd to none. They have huge teams working on self-driving delivery vans and aircraft. They are flat-out scary.

This is a not like an "Amazon Fulfillment Center" The HQ is where the top programming talent goes.

As someone in pst who works for a company in est, I can tell you that having your HQ in a different timezone is no fun for the HQ or the satellite offices. The politically acceptable meeting window is 6 hours at best. My beginning of the day is the lunch time on the east coast. Noone's happy about 9am or noon meetings.

In reality, Amazon may use its HQ2 location hunt just like it uses press releases - to destroy competition without delivering the actual product. If it chooses Los Angeles, it will literally starve the local studios of any worthwhile IT talent. There is simply no more than 2-3k of available IT workers at any given point in time. Amazon will simply suck all the oxygen out of the room. If it lands in Bentonville, WM is fucked for the same reasons. And so on. Right now, AMZN seems to have AAPL and FB in its cross-hairs, so some West Coast location might make sense.

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Next races on the schedule: none at the moment

Learn something new every day. Problem is, I forget something old every day, too.

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-----------------------------Baron Von Speedypants
-----------------------------RunTraining articles here:
http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...runtraining;#1612485

resurrecting this thread with the announcement today and the discussion in October

Top 20 as announced here

• Atlanta
• Austin
• Boston
• Chicago
• Columbus, Ohio
• Dallas
• Denver
• Indianapolis
• Los Angeles
• Miami
• Montgomery County, Md.
• Nashville
• Newark
• New York City
• Northern Virginia
• Philadelphia
• Pittsburgh
• Raleigh, N.C.
• Toronto
• Washington, D.C.

Not really too surprising when one of their requirements was international airport if I remember right.

This isn’t much a short list yet. 20 major cities is what I would have expected before all the present you proposal stuff.

What’s interesting with Denver for instance, is that the city offered nothing for tax breaks etc from my understanding, but still in the running.

I think everyone who's done even ten minutes of research into this thing could've come up with 15 of those 20 cities. No real surprises there, wake me when they narrow down to a top3 or 5.

My guess, this is Amazon doing a little screw-turning, getting this back in the news and announcing to each city 'look at your competition, you know who's offered tax incentives and perks and who hasn't, step up your game'.

Toronto is on that list and they made a point of saying that they weren't giving any big ticket incentives. The whole spiel was about Canadians working for less money, investing in a highly skilled workforce, etc. And probably (behind closed doors) hedging against whatever Trump does.

They don't stand a chance though.