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Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

wsj.com

11–20 of 229 posts

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#11
I'm saddened by this because it just adds to hyper concentration.

DC is already woefully over staffed with overpaid folks living off of guaranteed tax revenues, I don't believe in the inherent productivity there, and just cynical enough to believe it's a means for AMZN to leverage political power and government contracts.

NYC is understandable ...

... but it would have been really nice for business diversity for that to go to so many other places. Chicago, Texas, Toronto, Raleigh, New Jersey etc etc.

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#13
post #6

I feel this choice is a mistake for the company long term, they're putting resources into two very hot housing and real estate markets, that have no real draw (in my opinion) for technical employees. Hew York is high tax (compared to Washington), unpleasant weather, overall high costs, and has a housing shortage, Washington DC, once described has having "Southern Efficiency, and Northern Charm" has similar issues of…

[deleted]

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#15
post #5
post #2

WSJ was the outlet to break this story, before anyone asks why a link from a paywalled site was submitted.

Isn't this article still speculation, since nothing has been confirmed?

WSJ isn’t speculating, they say they have confirmed this with their sources. The difference is that no one cares about the former, but in the latter case, if WSJ is wrong, their credibility takes a hit.

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#16

Would someone mind pasting the article content for those of us who aren't WSJ subscribers (assuming such is at least tacitly allowed by mods)? Seems WSJ has gotten more aggressive in enforcing their paywall.

Use outline.com

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#17
I agree with Scott Galloway who has both predicted the outcome and has called this a sham 'contest.' Galloway said that Bezos was always going to pick one of the coastal cities where he has a second/third home. By doing this 'contest' Amazon was able to get cities to compete with each other to provide tax incentives to Amazon and was also able to get valuable private information on the cities that Amazon can use in their business strategy. Galloway told cities not to participate.

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#19
post #6

I feel this choice is a mistake for the company long term, they're putting resources into two very hot housing and real estate markets, that have no real draw (in my opinion) for technical employees. Hew York is high tax (compared to Washington), unpleasant weather, overall high costs, and has a housing shortage, Washington DC, once described has having "Southern Efficiency, and Northern Charm" has similar issues of…

NYC has a lot of developers, more than the valley. It's already a 'draw' of sorts, this is an advantage.

"DC, access to policymakers - but I see no real strategic advantages here."

Amazon is going to become the #1 IT vendor of choice for the biggest government of the world AND reach their tentacles deep into the political arena for all sorts of other benefits.

Military, FBI, CIA, Gov, Fannie/Freddie. All huge.

Also - every bank is becoming a 'tech company' and Amazon will provide them with their infrastructure.

Re: Amazon expected to announce NYC and Northern Virginia as new headquarters

#20

I'm saddened by this because it just adds to hyper concentration. DC is already woefully over staffed with overpaid folks living off of guaranteed tax revenues, I don't believe in the inherent productivity there, and just cynical enough to believe it's a means for AMZN to leverage political power and government contracts. NYC is understandable ... ... but it would have been really nice for business diversity for that…

I dont understand it. We seem to have decided as a culture that absolutely everything had to be in like five cities. Its a major contributor to division and polarization and a trend that is destroying the middle class.
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