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WILKES-BARRE — Amazon reviewed 238 proposals from across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to host HQ2, the company’s second headquarters in North America, and Thursday the corporate giant announced it had chosen 20 metropolitan areas to move to the next phase of the process — Northeastern Pennsylvania not being one.
“Thank you to all 238 communities that submitted proposals,” said Holly Sullivan, Amazon Public Policy. “Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough — all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity. Through this process, we learned about many new communities across North America that we will consider as locations for future infrastructure investment and job creation.”
Two Pennsylvania cities — Philadelphia and Pittsburgh — made the short list.
In the coming months, Amazon will work with each of the candidate locations to dive deeper into their proposals, request additional information, and evaluate the feasibility of a future partnership that can accommodate the company’s hiring plans as well as benefit its employees and the community. Amazon expects to make a final decision sometime in 2018.
John L. Augustine III, President/CEO at Penn’s Northeast, led the effort to prepare a comprehensive proposal about Northeastern Pennsylvania to Amazon.
“While we are certainly disappointed that we did not make the list, we’re not surprised as we knew it was a long shot,” Augustine said. “The list released (Thursday) by Amazon is for major metropolitan areas and we certainly wish Philadelphia and Pittsburgh well in their pursuits.”
However, Augustine doesn’t see this as a loss — in fact, he said it’s the exact opposite.
“We were able to bring together many regional stakeholders in support of a joint application,” Augustine said. “We have used the proposal and the data contained in it for four additional prospects that we are working on. We are confident of some exciting announcements in the future and together, as a region, we are hopeful that we will land the next Amazon soon.”
On Oct. 26, Augustine held a news conference to announce the regional approach in trying to lure Amazon HQ2 to Northeastern Pennsylvania. Augustine said it was the first time there had been such a large regional response to something like this. He said if Amazon didn’t choose NEPA, the process would be invaluable when another company came along to be courted. He said the proposal can be replicated for all future economic development considerations.
‘A real shot’
Gov. Tom Wolf released a statement on Philadelphia and Pittsburgh making Amazon’s short list for its HQ2, which is expected to bring 50,000 jobs and billions of dollars in investment.
“Pennsylvania’s strategic location in the heart of the East Coast, nationally ranked educational institutions, and a workforce equipped to support future growth makes it prime for Amazon’s second headquarters in North America,” said Wolf.
“Both Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have a real shot and we will continue to support these locations by making the case to Amazon that Pennsylvania is a unique and tremendous place to build a business, make a home, and pursue your happiness.”
In its release, Amazon said HQ2 will be a complete headquarters for Amazon, not a satellite office. In addition to Amazon’s direct hiring and investment, construction and ongoing operation of HQ2 is expected to create tens of thousands of additional jobs and tens of billions of dollars in additional investment in the surrounding community.
Amazon had stipulated it was seeking to be near a metropolitan area with more than a million people; be within 45 minutes of an international airport; have direct access to mass transit; and be able to expand to as much as 8 million square feet in the next decade. Amazon also made it very clear it wanted tax breaks, grants and any other incentives.
