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Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

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Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#641

Post by notatoad »

walterbell wrote: post #38
chollida1 wrote: post #3

Nice to see Toronto on the list, though game theory suggest that we're only here because having a Canadian Candidate has the potential to have all 3 levels of government involved rather than just state and city. I'm not really sure how to go about handicapping the finalists. Given the current political climate, Toronto is interesting because it's the only city that gives Amazon some escape form the US government. You…

Hasn't Google already planted their flag in NYC and Toronto for their "smart city" kiosk surveillance & advertising network? https://www.wired.com/story/google-sidewalk-labs-toronto-qua... https://gizmodo.com/nycs-free-wifi-service-is-turning-into-a...

NYC, yes. But counting Sidewalk Labs' project as Google "planting their flag" in Toronto seems like a stretch.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#642

Post by rpiguy »

s73ver_ wrote: post #244
rpiguy wrote: post #44

It seems interesting that Amazon is not terribly concerned with the cost of labor. Several cities and states on that list have very high labor costs (Boston, New Jersey, etc.) Good to see they are more concerned with talent and infrastructure rather than just bottom line costs.

It's already known what Amazon pays. I don't care where I'm located, they had better be paying me at least that well.

That’s not how labor markets work. Amazon engineers in Boston and Seattle will certainly be paid more on average than engineers from Pittsburgh or Atlanta.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#643

Post by stevenwoo »

ForrestN wrote: post #484
lolsal wrote: post #274

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> rampant: flourishing or spreading unchecked. I have lived in the south for 33 years (in particular, one of these states mentioned) - if you think that racism is flourishing or spreading unchecked you are misinformed. It exists, but it's dying. Please stop spreading hyperbole like this.

I think sometimes there's a tendency to conflate overt racism, like someone verbally abusing you using racial epithets, with racism in general. Racism still exists everywhere in the United States, but having grown up in the south, and based on the experiences of my spouse, who also grew up in the south, I can say quite confidently that "rampant" is no hyperbole. If you are visibly different, especially in a way that…

I grew up in the South and there's the insidious presence of all the monuments and statues in public places and state houses of leaders of the slave states during the Civil War. Then all the public schools named after Jefferson Davis or Robert Lee or similar traitors. My high school history classes always emphasized the South was fighting for states' rights and their way of life, as if slavery was something honorable. The message is loud and clear of the institutional support for these attitudes.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#644

Post by kevan »

Retric wrote: post #562
nyokodo wrote: post #482

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Unless Amazon is going to be paying $0 in tax or will be given tax credits in excess of any tax it will pay, neither of which I gather is the case, then how would this fail to deliver a net increase in tax revenue for the city? The 1000s of employees are not getting any tax breaks either so that'd also have to factor into the calculation. I don't think cities are acting against their own self interest in these negoti…

Amazon and those workers will still consume city services. City's don't make a profit on average, so while those workers may make above average wages it's unlikely to make up for the overall lost revenue. Picturing 1000's of workers is overblown. Amazon does employ a lot of people, but in a highly distributed fashion and their expansion is not going to be huge. On top of that these are all large city's where +/- a fe…

The RFP quotes up to 50,0000 employees in 15 years. Any sane incentive package should have hooks in it to make sure most of those jobs do materialize.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#646

Post by justAnotherNET »

hindsightRegret wrote: post #431
drumttocs8 wrote: post #249

Amazon would have the greatest impact in Atlanta. You could argue that Atlanta is the economic, cultural, and geographical center of the Southeastern United States. It has the busiest airport in the world and is a major rail hub. There are already dozens of major corporations headquaratered in Atlanta. There is no shortage of talent, with a top-5 engineering school in Georgia Tech. Yet there are things missing which…

Nice try, Atlanta city council. We're onto you

Nah that was GT staff, ATL city got isn’t that competent to be posting on HN.

That said, GO JACKETS!

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#647

Post by rasen58 »

jamestimmins wrote: post #320
indescions_2018 wrote: post #75

Just visited Pittsburgh. There is indeed a renaissance happing in that town. The restaurant scene alone is phenomenal. And the addition of a FANG level HQ could cement its burgeoning international reputation as a destination. The idea is that CMU spits out about 200+ world class CS grads a year. If even 5% decide to stay in the area to start their own ventures. There would be potential for massive growth. the other d…

Serious question: is 200 top level CS grads really all that significant? Seems like a pretty small number, given what is possible at larger state schools.

Even at a larger state school, only the top few percent would be comparable to CMU CS grads.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#648

Post by bulldoa »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #576
vkou wrote: post #563

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which will drive up the cost of life for people who currently live in Philadelphia and won't work for Amazon. It will, however, vastly enrich their landlords.

I'm not sure why you're getting downvoted. This is exactly what's happened to Seattle. http://www.seattlepi.com/seattlenews/article/What-does-it-re...

This is an interesting position that I am quite conflicted about. From the conclusion of the original post it seems like he/she would prefer company that brings in high salary jobs not to relocate to the area if the company itself would not be employing people that originated from the area for those high salary jobs. This is because he/she perceived that there is no benefit to the economy since the local does not get those salary, and the local would have to suffer the consequence of rising living cost.

But my concern would be how would a city ever improve its living condition if it lack funds to maintain schools and community and the resident themselves are unwilling to bring in these company?

Even if amazon doesn't pay taxes, the employees that work there will (through buying stuff and living there), doesn't that give the city an opportunity to reinvigorate the city with new tax revenue and potentially provide a better community and education for the next generation?

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#649

Post by cthalupa »

larrydag wrote: post #97
chollida1 wrote: post #3

Nice to see Toronto on the list, though game theory suggest that we're only here because having a Canadian Candidate has the potential to have all 3 levels of government involved rather than just state and city. I'm not really sure how to go about handicapping the finalists. Given the current political climate, Toronto is interesting because it's the only city that gives Amazon some escape form the US government. You…

I'm in Dallas. - Currently has a large Amazon distribution center in the suburbs - Strong tech workforce and universities in the area. Other Tech companies in the area Dell(formerly EDS), ATT. Regional centers of Verizon, IBM, Microsoft, Alcatel/Lucent - Low property values and favorable tax structures. Plenty of areas to lease locations or to build in the suburbs or downtown. - International airport that is the hub…

There is also an AWS office in Dallas, based on recruitment emails I have received.

Re: Amazon announces candidate cities for HQ2

#650

Post by benwilber0 »

vkou wrote: post #599
nyokodo wrote: post #595

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's the cost of being economically successful. That's because there is more competition for workers which drives up salaries, and for living spaces which drives up their cost. So even if you don't work for Amazon you're likely to benefit from the more competitive marketplace.

> That's the cost of being economically successful. This is a cost disproportionately borne by low-income renters currently living in a city. If they have a choice, why should they pay it? > That's because there is more competition for workers which drives up salaries, and for living spaces which drives up their cost. Amazon workers will always outbid locals for housing. Unless 50,000 housing units will be built in t…

I'm not seeing the point that you're trying to make. Are you suggesting that Philadelphia (or any major metropolis) would not benefit from the sudden windfall infusion of 50,000+ high-paying jobs? I think every small business owner in Philly is probably drooling at the prospect of Amazon dumping tens of thousands of people with disposable incomes at their front door.
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