Amazon trims field to 20

Ding, ding, ding! We have two winners, NYC and NoVa. Guess Arlington really wasn't out.

Amazon Picks New York City, Northern Virginia for Its HQ2 Locations

 

I congratulate the fine citizens of those two areas who obviously have a great need for more-crowded subways and highways. Enjoy!

 

Yeah, one thing Northern Virginia needs is even more traffic.

OTOH, this will make Virginia even bluer than it's already become.

 

Amazon cancels plan to build new headquarters in New York City

Win-win for Amazon. I wouldn't be surprised if this was part of the plan all along - anyone think city no. 2 is going to so much as quibble? They'll give Bezos a blank piece of paper and say - write out your terms.

 

I thought Amazon said it was scrapping HQ2 altogether, settling for expansion of NoVa and Nashville operations. there is a dilemma that both companies like Amazon and all cities face. A city like New York (or up here in Boston) that is a very desirable location doesn't really need another big operation moving in, at least not at the cost of significant tax breaks and other subsidies. So it's a guarantee that there will be notable public opposition to the big company, even if their plan has majority support. Cities like Cleveland or Detroit, or even more prosperous burgs like Minneapolis, are in a position where the subsidies are more than worth it to them, but big companies like Amazon don't want to go there because of the perceived lack of a sufficiently tech capable work force.

 

Don't forget the free advertising, towards potential customers and potential employees.

I remember one year (2013?) at the beginning of December Bezos and Amazon made a big PR blitz about drone deliveries coming in less than two years. It included a spot on 60 Minutes and every national and local morning news program mentioning it Monday morning.
Well, it didn't happen. The FAA didn't even have plans to look into setting rules for drone deliveries and any expert in the area said it wasn't happening any time soon, let alone on Amazon's timeline. You didn't hear that on 60 Minutes or on any of the next mornings' breathless coverage. Great advertising for Christmas season.