The Seattle-based company says it plans to invest $5bn in construction and operation of the new location, which it is calling Amazon HQ2.
“We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters,” Jeffrey P. Bezos, founder and chief executive of Amazon, said in a statement. “Amazon HQ2 will bring billions of dollars in up-front and ongoing investments, and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. We’re excited to find a second home.” (Bezos also owns The Washington Post.)
Amazon is seeking proposals from local, state and provincial government leaders, and says it is focusing on metropolitan areas with more than 1 million people. It is also looking for areas that can attract and retain technical workers and “a stable and business-friendly environment.”
Among the criteria it will consider, Amazon says, are tax exemptions and other incentives, including relocation grants and fee reductions. “The initial cost and ongoing cost of doing business are critical decision drivers,” the company said in its request for proposals.
