Amazon.com announced this week their desire to find a second North American Headquarters for their online retail service that could mean a $5 billion investment and 50,000 new jobs over the next twenty years for the winning city.

The New York Times did the homework based on the requirements Amazon set for this second home. Some of those requirements are:

A metro area with at least a million people
Stable business climate for growth

Skilled tech labor
A strong university system nearby
A metro area with features that young, skilled workers like
Quality of life
Housing costs and amenities
Restaurants, outdoor recreation, cultural attractions
Mass transit
East access to an international airport

Through research and other economic factors, The Times whittled all the options down to three cities: Boston, Washington, and Denver.

It may be that Amazon would want a bidding war between the finalists to gain the best incentives and tax breaks. Boston Mayor Marty Walsh has already stated that he's not interested in getting into a bidding war. Meanwhile, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock has raised his hand and said that he's "excited about this megaprospect". 

The Times concludes that the land in D.C. is too expensive and hard to come by and having a large suburban campus, like they have in Seattle, would not be likely.

So the winner, according to the New York Times is: DENVER!

Currently, Amazon is soliciting bids from interested cities and have asked them to think "big" and "creatively" about possible locations.

 

 

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