# Amazon seeking to build second HQ and add 50,000 jobs



## Jim Johnson

For the handful of nutters out there who have the ridiculous worry that Amazon's going to go away any time soon... New HQ search and 50k more jobs to be determined.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2017/09/07/amazon-plans-second-headquarters-dubbed-hq-2/640861001/


----------



## MarkParragh

Perhaps they can spare a couple to actually look at what's going on with KU.


----------



## Going Incognito

Please, not here. 
Please, not here.
Please, not here.


----------



## NeilMosspark

Going Incognito said:


> Please, not here.
> Please, not here.
> Please, not here.


lol ditto


----------



## Jena H

Going Incognito said:


> Please, not here.
> Please, not here.
> Please, not here.





NeilMosspark said:


> lol ditto


I'm not proud. My state could certainly use the jobs.


----------



## SugarBear57

Jena H said:


> My state could certainly use the jobs.


Same. Amazon already has a major presence here because of how geographically convenient it is for shipping purposes (Zappos has their warehouse next to the UPS hub in Kentucky and Amazon could do something similar in a different city on a much bigger scale), so I would not be that surprised to see Amazon announce that it will buy a large amount of real estate in my city. It comes down to what kinds of incentives this state will be able to offer.

There are many cities where Prime Now is available. This city was one of the first. If you order something in the local warehouse and have Prime 2-Day, you're likely to get it one day later, not two. In one case, I ordered something one afternoon and got it less than 24 hours later without paying an extra cent.


----------



## Sandpiper

Interesting numbers, etc.

Submit _your_  proposal for HQ2


----------



## G.L. Snodgrass

As a neighbor of Amazon, I can tell you that they are good neighbors. Little noise or pollution, good, secure jobs, they make the city of Seattle a better place. But, they have run out of space. They already own/rent 20% of the office space in town. There isn't any more available. Not for 50K employees.

I think most cities would be lucky to get Amazon. High tech company that's going to be around for a long time. Increased tax base without huge demands.


----------



## Paranormal Kitty

Waiting to see if my state will spend a bunch of our tax dollars to try and get them in OKC like they did with the basketball team. I doubt Amazon would risk their headquarters getting flattened by a tornado every few years though.


----------



## 77071

Well, my state's already courted some big Amazon hubs, but I'm sure they'd jump for more.


----------



## UK1783

I don't know about America but in the UK Amazon - along with various other large companies - has a pretty bad rep in terms of employment.

Zero hours contracts, unbelievable work quotas, unsafe working conditions...  Plenty of reports on this.

It's great that Amazon employs people but at least try to treat them like human beings.


----------



## Anarchist

I can only imagine the deals state officials have concocted to entice Amazon.


----------



## C. Gockel

Google just moved in by me. Rents have almost doubled in less than a year. On the one hand, I'm glad we locked in a low cost mortgage, on the other hand, I don't know how anyone affords a $2195 for a "convertible." (a studio with a nook that hides the bed.)

Not thrilled about the prospects of taxes increasing when the building is reassessed. Also, will never be buying a four bedroom in this neighborhood now.


----------



## 77071

UK1783 said:


> I don't know about America but in the UK Amazon - along with various other large companies - has a pretty bad rep in terms of employment.
> 
> Zero hours contracts, unbelievable work quotas, unsafe working conditions... Plenty of reports on this.
> 
> It's great that Amazon employs people but at least try to treat them like human beings.


In America, workers don't have many rights anymore. Wal-Mart can move to an area and have people lining up for jobs. Wal-Mart does not treat their employees superbly, nor is their pay amazing. Amazon is not likely to move to an area where there are already tons of well-paying jobs (if there is such a place anymore in this entire country, to be frank). They will likely move somewhere that is strategically placed, has room for growth, and where the state will be so desperate for jobs they'll give unimaginable tax-free rides and benefits to this company. This company that could be paying taxes but that will, instead, be given tax money for moving to the area. That's the USA. It's not a great place for workers' rights.


----------



## 77071

Can you imagine these folks wouldn't rejoice to have any kind of job move to the area, no matter how terrible?

What Happened When Wal-Mart Left 
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/jul/09/what-happened-when-walmart-left

It's easy to say you'd hold out for better pay or conditions, if you've never been there, ya know.


----------



## Paranormal Kitty

HSh said:


> In America, workers don't have many rights anymore. Wal-Mart can move to an area and have people lining up for jobs. Wal-Mart does not treat their employees superbly, nor is their pay amazing. Amazon is not likely to move to an area where there are already tons of well-paying jobs (if there is such a place anymore in this entire country, to be frank). They will likely move somewhere that is strategically placed, has room for growth, and where the state will be so desperate for jobs they'll give unimaginable tax-free rides and benefits to this company. This company that could be paying taxes but that will, instead, be given tax money for moving to the area. That's the USA. It's not a great place for workers' rights.


This is why I said that about my state giving them taxpayer money. Oklahoma government is so backwards. They hand over piles of money to any company, but our teachers literally have to panhandle for school supplies. If Amazon came here, the state government would just screw it up with 0 regulations and 0 taxes. OKC - where Amazon would go if they came here - isn't even where the jobs are needed. Rural areas are so impoverished and people can't or don't want to leave. Even if the people who can leave do, that just makes it worse on the ones left.


----------



## SugarBear57

There are already some news articles about my city courting Amazon. It'll do wonders for property values (and therefore property taxes). I live in the Rust Belt, so we'd really welcome them.


----------



## Ava Glass

Some criteria worth noting:


within 45 minutes of an international airport
near a "strong university system"
population above 1 million (do they mean the city itself or does the metro area count too? ETA: Amazon means metro area.)
"highly educated labor pool"


----------



## Paranormal Kitty

LilyBLily said:


> That's why we need to bring superior internet to rural areas, so small businesses and large can follow. People can't afford to leave their only support system when they're seriously impoverished.
> 
> The other side of this is that lots of jobs with bad salaries go begging because if people take them, they'll lose their health insurance coverage but won't get paid enough to buy it through their employer or anywhere else. And they'll also lose any other government benefits such as food stamps; most of these people eke our their existence on a combo of such benefits.


We've had 100 MBPS available in our small town for several years and yet no new businesses have come in. If you're in a town or along the highway, internet is not really an issue here. Finding a job that comes with health insurance around here is like finding a needle in a haystack, even if you have an advanced degree. The job I had here paid me $12/hr no benefits and I have a master's degree. The owner of the company kept telling me how good of a job it was and how lucky I was to work there if I ever complained about anything or asked for a raise. Not to mention all the meth-making that goes on (my neighbor - a public school teacher at that - got busted awhile back). I'd leave, but my partner doesn't want to, and I can't afford to on my own right now. I'll stop here before this sounds like a country song.


----------



## Jena H

Ava Glass said:


> Some criteria worth noting:
> 
> 
> within 45 minutes of an international airport
> near a "strong university system"
> population above 1 million (do they mean the city itself or does the metro area count too? ETA: Amazon means metro area.)
> "highly educated labor pool"


I'm sure our governor already has a work proposal in the works. Including all the requisite tax exemption, of course.


----------



## Jim Johnson

Ava Glass said:


> Some criteria worth noting:
> 
> 
> within 45 minutes of an international airport
> near a "strong university system"
> population above 1 million (do they mean the city itself or does the metro area count too? ETA: Amazon means metro area.)
> "highly educated labor pool"


Hmm...Chicago, Boston, Washington DC...


----------



## Ava Glass

Silicon Beach in Southern California is rapidly growing, fits much of the criteria (lots of good universities), and wouldn't give transplanted Seattle employees too much culture shock. 

On the other hand, does Amazon need another West Coast HQ? Michigan really needs revitalizing and Detroit is near the university at Ann Arbor.


----------



## Paranormal Kitty

If I had to place a bet, I'd say somewhere in Texas. I hope not Austin since I'd like to move there and it's already $$$


----------



## Sonya Bateman

Ava Glass said:


> Some criteria worth noting:
> 
> 
> within 45 minutes of an international airport
> near a "strong university system"
> population above 1 million (do they mean the city itself or does the metro area count too? ETA: Amazon means metro area.)
> "highly educated labor pool"


Hey, that's almost my area (Syracuse, NY) except for the metro population (662K). People around here would line up for miles to get a job there.

Guess that's true about every area now, though.


----------



## Jena H

Sonya Bateman said:


> Hey, that's almost my area (*Syracuse, NY*) except for the metro population (662K). People around here would line up for miles to get a job there.
> 
> Guess that's true about every area now, though.


Central New York, my old stomping grounds.


----------



## DanaFraser

I was thinking they should do Memphis, but then I remembered it is a Fed Ex hub, not a UPS hub. Louisville KY has a UPS hub. (I note that because I think Amazon ships mostly UPS, which has a deal to deliver to the local post office, which then does the door to door delivery.)

Memphis has ... an Ikea, an int'l airport, a strong university system (at least for medicine), metro pop of 1.3 million. I don't know about highly educated labor pool if you exclude medical personnel. It's way cheaper than say Nashville.


----------



## Going Incognito

Ava Glass said:


> Some criteria worth noting:
> 
> 
> within 45 minutes of an international airport
> near a "strong university system"
> population above 1 million (do they mean the city itself or does the metro area count too? ETA: Amazon means metro area.)
> "highly educated labor pool"





paranormal_kitty said:


> If I had to place a bet, I'd say somewhere in Texas.


Nooooooo!
And again, Please, not here. 
Please, not here.
Please, not here.


----------



## Going Incognito

UK1783 said:


> It's great that Amazon employs people but at least try to treat them like human beings.


On second thought, does Amazon hire 16 year olds? Cause they're like human beings. I've got one who needs a full time job so she'll rethink having no interest in college. 
If so, maybe here. Maybe here. Maybe here, lol.


----------



## Sonya Bateman

Jena H said:


> Central New York, my old stomping grounds.


North Carolina is definitely an upgrade from here, weather-wise.  Soon it'll be time to hole up here until April or so...


----------



## Paranormal Kitty

Don't know if anyone's still following this thread, but thought I would share this: https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/amazons-super-bowl-ad-prove-hq2-coming-austin/


----------



## dhbradshaw

Based on the criteria, my guess is North Carolina near Duke etc.  Lots of tech is heading to Austin Texas, Colorado, and the Wasatch Front too though.


----------



## SallyElliot

Something like North Carolina RTP area in the middle of 3 major universities is not bad choice.


----------



## Shimer

When are they supposed to announce the final pick for the location of the HQ? I thought that was already decided at this point.


----------

