6 US Cities Amazon Should Consider for its Second Headquarters

Amazon has gotten too big for Seattle. Now it'southward looking to build a second headquarters somewhere in N America, and information technology's taking suggestions.

This morning, Amazon started soliciting offers from metropolitan areas to host a new campus for upward to 50,000 employees. This "HQ2" would become a co-equal headquarters to Amazon'south giant Seattle setup, the company says. The headquarters must be no more than xxx miles from a major population heart and no more than 45 minutes from an international airport.

The prize here volition be big, with tens of thousands of jobs and over $5 billion in investment. Look cities and states to start falling all over each other with revenue enhancement incentives and state deals. Bids are due by Oct. 19, and Amazon will make its decision side by side twelvemonth.

Amazon has demands. Here's what it wants:

Metropolitan areas with more than 1 1000000 people
A stable and business-friendly environs
Urban or suburban locations with the potential to concenter and retain potent technical talent
Communities that recollect large and creatively when considering locations and real estate options

I think Amazon probably wants to get abroad from the W Coast, which would count out options like San Diego, Boise, Phoenix, and Denver. The expensive, crowded main metro areas of the Northeast Corridor besides seem to me to be unlikely winners, because Amazon can become much more than for its money elsewhere.

These are my top six suggestions, in gild, of where Amazon might land in the US:

1. Kansas Urban center

Kansas City

Possibly the nation's most underrated tech hub, Kansas City was one of the first Google Fiber markets and is habitation to Sprint. The city has terrific internet connectivity, it has been nurturing tech startups in the Crossroads neighborhood, land is affordable, the airport has nonstop flights to all the right places, and the local government has a very pro-tech stance. Kansas Metropolis's primary downside is its lack of international flights. "Kansas City International Airport" holds its title considering of flights to Toronto and Cancun, which isn't the globe-spanning range Amazon wants.

2. Dallas-Fort Worth

Dallas

The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the quaternary-largest metro area in the United states of america, with more than than 6 1000000 people. It has its own tech titan in Samsung, and information technology's just down the road from Austin, a vibrant tech hub. It'due south centrally located and has one of the nation's major airports.

The Fort Worth side of the Metroplex is going through some major changes correct at present, with the metropolis redeveloping downtown with a riverwalk, lakes, canals, and flat buildings—turning the old urban center of stockyards into a real metropolis. There's a major new amusement district planned for 2024, and frequent commuter runway connects the urban center to central Dallas.

Dallas is a bit more expensive, and a fleck further forth in terms of development. It's positively buzzing as an urban hub, with world-class dining and nightlife, a growing public transit system, and a various population. That would be an easy move for Amazon.

iii. Minneapolis

Minneapolis

Minneapolis has long been a eye for health tech, with the Mayo Clinic nearby. It'south too the home of 2 of Amazon'southward major competitors, Target and Best Purchase. Within the past twelvemonth, according to the Star-Tribune, it's become a startup center likewise, with startup accelerators settling in the Twin Cities. Minneapolis has a vibrant downtown and a real international airport with flights to Europe and Asia.

The city has a few downwards sides. Winter weather is famously awful. Amazon may non desire to be besides close to its major competitors. And Minnesota's employment market is so strong that Amazon would probably have to import employees from the rest of the US, rather than tapping into an existing local worker pool.

4. Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh is on the verge of beingness cool again. The city has 2 powerhouse universities, one of which—Carnegie Mellon—specializes in engineering, with great potential synergies for Amazon. There'southward a vibrant nightlife (thank you to those universities), housing is affordable, and Amazon could say that it's revitalizing the Rust Belt. Pittsburgh is also a drivable distance from Amazon's Cincinnati cargo hub.

Pittsburgh's down side is that it isn't a transit hub. Its airport has shrunk from its glory days, and at that place isn't fifty-fifty a nonstop flying to Seattle. Its "international" flights are to Toronto, Cancun, Frankfurt, and Reykjavik. Amazon may desire better connectivity.

5. Cincinnati

Cincinnati

Mobile Nations' Derek Kessler suggests Cinci because Amazon already has a major investment at that place: a $1.five billion dollar cargo hub. Cinci is certainly affordable, with a celebrated downtown that'due south been in the midst of redevelopment.

Cincinnati'due south greatest weakness is that it's terminally uncool. The city lacks high-contour universities or a nationally known arts, entertainment, or engineering scene. Its reputation for being a placidity, relaxing identify to raise a family is a minus when competing with places like San Francisco for young techies. The city likewise has awful public transportation, and Amazon likes public transit.

6. Charlotte

Charlotte

Probably the best E Coast option, Charlotte is a finance and financial-technology eye with affordable land, an educated workforce, and a great aerodrome.

Charlotte's down side is that, similar Cincinnati, it really lacks urban cachet for a company that prides itself on its urban experiments. The Northward Carolina state government has besides been at loggerheads with Amazon over development of a air current farm and the state's previous anti-gay HB2 law, and Jeff Bezos may simply not want to practise a deal in that location.