Amazon Says 238 Places Want to Host its New Headquarters

Amazon.com Inc. said Monday it received 238 proposals from cities and regions across North America to host its second headquarters, a sign of the intense competition to host the $5 billion project.

The proposals came from 54 states, provinces, district and territories. Amazon didn't name any of the bidders or say when it would come up with a short list for its potential picks.

Cities including New York, Boston, Atlanta, Nashville and Austin, Texas, have said they applied for the new corporate site, which is expected to generate 50,000 high-paying jobs over nearly 20 years.

Some cities and states are proposing big incentives, too. Newark. N.J., last week said it would offer a potential package of $7 billion over a decade.

Still, it is unclear where Amazon might land. Site-selection experts and others say the company is likely focused on being able to hire enough software developers and other tech talent. Amazon has cited factors including good transportation options, cultural fit and the ability to move into a phase-one site as early as 2019.

"I don't think any one market fits everything. It's going to be a balancing act of the various attributes," says Dave Bragg, a managing director at Green Street Advisors, which conducts real-estate research.

Amazon.com Inc. said Monday it received 238 proposals from cities and regions across North America to host its second headquarters, a sign of the intense competition to host the $5 billion project.

The proposals came from 54 states, provinces, district and territories. Amazon didn't name any of the bidders or say when it would come up with a short list for its potential picks.

Cities including New York, Boston, Atlanta, Nashville and Austin, Texas, have said they applied for the new corporate site, which is expected to generate 50,000 high-paying jobs over nearly 20 years.

Some cities and states are proposing big incentives, too. Newark. N.J., last week said it would offer a potential package of $7 billion over more than a decade.

Still, it is unclear where Amazon might land. Site-selection experts and others say the company is likely focused on being able to hire enough software developers and other tech talent. Amazon has cited factors including good transportation options, cultural fit and the ability to move into a phase-one site as early as 2019.

"I don't think any one market fits everything. It's going to be a balancing act of the various attributes," says Dave Bragg, a managing director at Green Street Advisors, which conducts real-estate research.

Corrections & Amplifications

This item was corrected at 3:33 p.m. ET on Tues., Oct. 24, 2017 to show that Newark, N.J., last week said it would offer a potential package of $7 billion over more than a decade. The original incorrectly stated the time frame was exactly a decade.

Some cities and states are proposing big incentives. Newark, N.J., last week said it would offer a potential package of $7 billion over more than a decade. Amazon has an economic-development team dedicated to shopping for incentives for its expansion. "Amazon Says 238 Places Want to Host Its New Headquarters -- 5th Update" at 8:31 p.m. EDT on Oct. 23, misstated the time frame for the incentive package is a decade in the 14th paragraph. The error was repeated in previous versions and an update.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

October 24, 2017 15:47 ET (19:47 GMT)