Amazon planning second headquarters with 50,000 jobs

[Fuzz]

You will never convince New Era that Calgary bidding was anything but a horrible idea, a waste of time and has less than √-1 chance of success.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Table 5

A pitch for a whale like Amazon is exactly how you get the smaller fish to pay attention. Calgary most likely won't win this bid, but if it even makes it to a shortlist, you can bet the media attention that will come with it will put it on the radar of other companies.

This was also a great opportunity to sharpen one's skills for the next pitch. This effort was not just about Amazon. This is a long-term play.

Agree. It is a good idea to get the name out there. I liked their media campaign, save the homeless guy, and the humor they injected into the competition. Very Canadian. Hope something comes of it and they get benefit downstream.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Strange Brew

I’m not following.

Acquiring top end talent in a city like Toronto or Calgary would be a lot cheaper than getting it in a city like Austin.

CDN dollar is one thing, but Austin is already a tech city, with a lot of tech firms. Amazon is going to need to poach some of those people and they will have to pay to do so.

In a city like Calgary there are a lot of people with an engineering/tech background who are looking for employment, and with a little work Amazon could work with local schools to offer more programs focused around staffing their headquarters.

In Toronto they would have a bigger pool to choose from, and wouldn't need to pay the bigger salaries compared to the States.

From a simple cost perspective, Austin would be a lot more expensive.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I think you misunderstand the criticism. Sure, let's throw in our hat. Why not?

What some people are critical of is the extraordinary and unprecedented lengths municipalities are going to in order to attract Amazon. It's kinda dismaying to see the titanic power of these tech giants, and the wild desperation of cities to do anything to appease them. Amazon is one of the most ruthless companies in the world, whose business strategy resolves around undercutting all competitors, exploiting any competitive advantage it can muster, imposing automation at every step, and treating its employees like disposable widgets in a factory.

So, what you are saying is that Amazon is a corporation? and a successful one? You are right, doesn't sound like the type of entity we would want here. Let's invest in Bombardier instead.

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And we'll throw hundreds of millions or billions at them for the privilege of having them set up shop in our region. The bidding war will get so fierce that it may be decades before the 'winning' city earns back its investment.

Do you have some source for this? Has our bid been made public?

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

And we'll throw hundreds of millions or billions at them for the privilege of having them set up shop in our region. The bidding war will get so fierce that it may be decades before the 'winning' city earns back its investment.

Are we talking about bidding for the Olympics in the 90's? Not sure about billions but I have no problems pitching in 100's millions to get Amazon and their 55,000 jobs here.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

Do you have some source for this? Has our bid been made public?

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

Are we talking about bidding for the Olympics in the 90's? Not sure about billions but I have no problems pitching in 100's millions to get Amazon and their 55,000 jobs here.

New Jersey has floated a package of $7 billion to attract Amazon. The bar has been set. Hundreds of millions isn't getting it done. You're talking about multi-billion dollar investment, and an investment you are likely never going to recoup.

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by New Era

New Jersey has floated a package of $7 billion to attract Amazon. The bar has been set. Hundreds of millions isn't getting it done. You're talking about multi-billion dollar investment, and an investment you are likely never going to recoup.

$7billion? hahaha Sound like Corey Booker and Christie own alot of rental properties over there.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by New Era

New Jersey has floated a package of $7 billion to attract Amazon. The bar has been set. Hundreds of millions isn't getting it done. You're talking about multi-billion dollar investment, and an investment you are likely never going to recoup.

But Calgary can offer other things that New Jersey can’t offer. If this was 100% about money, it probably wouldn’t be anywhere in Canada or the US. As has been talked about, Canada offers taxpayer paid healthcare, which saves a company like Amazon a huge amount of money - which is something no one in the US can offer.

It all comes down to what factors Amazon prioritizes higher - some would leave Calgary nowhere near the top, and some would have us near the top. Play up our strengths, and eventually a company who likes those strengths will come here. 238 Entries, but I don’t think Calgary has a 1/238 chance of getting this, No matter how you rank the various factors, Calgary probably makes a top 20 list. Now that doesn’t mean that there isn’t something about Calgary that puts us in an “absolutely not” category with Amazon, and that ok.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Johnny Makarov

$7billion? hahaha Sound like Corey Booker and Christie own alot of rental properties over there.

You are aware that Wisconsin just gave Foxconn $3 billion to open a factory in their state?

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by New Era

New Jersey has floated a package of $7 billion to attract Amazon. The bar has been set. Hundreds of millions isn't getting it done. You're talking about multi-billion dollar investment, and an investment you are likely never going to recoup.

So... you have absolutely no idea what Calgary is offering?

You could have just said "Sorry, I have no evidence to support that Calgary has offered hundreds of millions or billions of dollars in incentives to Amazon".

Would have been easier to type.

[Weitz]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

But Calgary can offer other things that New Jersey can’t offer. If this was 100% about money, it probably wouldn’t be anywhere in Canada or the US. As has been talked about, Canada offers taxpayer paid healthcare, which saves a company like Amazon a huge amount of money - which is something no one in the US can offer.

It all comes down to what factors Amazon prioritizes higher - some would leave Calgary nowhere near the top, and some would have us near the top. Play up our strengths, and eventually a company who likes those strengths will come here. 238 Entries, but I don’t think Calgary has a 1/238 chance of getting this, No matter how you rank the various factors, Calgary probably makes a top 20 list. Now that doesn’t mean that there isn’t something about Calgary that puts us in an “absolutely not” category with Amazon, and that ok.

Does anyone have a link to what a similar American and Canadian company pay in terms of benefits on a yearly basis? I keep seeing people post this but I am curious as to what the numbers say.

[Frequitude]

Originally Posted by Table 5

A pitch for a whale like Amazon is exactly how you get the smaller fish to pay attention. Calgary most likely won't win this bid, but if it even makes it to a shortlist, you can bet the media attention that will come with it will put it on the radar of other companies.

This was also a great opportunity to sharpen one's skills for the next pitch. This effort was not just about Amazon. This is a long-term play.

A fair point which I overlooked. Good call.

[Lanny_McDonald]

@Canehdianman

Do you know what is in the package? Think they can compete with $7B USD in tax credits and incentives? Think they can compete with a tax system that allows Amazon to get away with paying a 13% tax rate?

On the health care cost, big advantage to Canada.

https://www.salon.com/2017/05/28/ame...tions-love-it/

But this is a cost they get a tax break for.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by New Era

@Canehdianman

Do you know what is in the package? Think they can compete with $7B USD in tax credits and incentives? Think they can compete with a tax system that allows Amazon to get away with paying a 13% tax rate?

??Is it opposite day??

I was asking you if you knew what's in the YYC package, since you said "we'll throw hundreds of millions or billions at them for the privilege of having them set up shop in our region."

I just asked you for a source, it's not my job to back up your statements.

[Lanny_McDonald]

@Canehdianman

No, I have no idea what is in the Calgary bid, because it isn't public. And no, it wan't I who made the statement that you are complaining about. That would Mr. Fletcher. I was just providing information that pointed to what the bar was currently set at, and the number any other - not just Calgary - would have to compete with.

[Canehdianman]

Originally Posted by New Era

@Canehdianman

No, I have no idea what is in the Calgary bid, because it isn't public. And no, it wan't I who made the statement that you are complaining about. That would Mr. Fletcher. I was just providing information that pointed to what the bar was currently set at, and the number any other - not just Calgary - would have to compete with.

Ah, my bad. I assumed you were the OP. Sorry about that.

[iggy_oi]

Originally Posted by Weitz

Does anyone have a link to what a similar American and Canadian company pay in terms of benefits on a yearly basis? I keep seeing people post this but I am curious as to what the numbers say.

It’s hard to figure out data that reflects exactly what the difference is because no employer plan would exactly mirror our publicly funded healthcare benefits. Example we get basic health care covered from our taxes, but no dental, physio etc...
An employer might pay a premium for all the basics plus dental, physio etc.

I don’t know what coverage is included in the insurance package in this article but it should give you a ballpark figure of what what a company could save in employee health benefits costs. Keep in mind these figures are in $US.

According to eHealthInsurance, for unsubsidized customers in 2016, "premiums for individual coverage averaged $321 per month while premiums for family plans averaged $833 per month. The average annual deductible for individual plans was $4,358 and the average deductible for family plans was $7,983."
That means that, last year, the average family paid $9,996 for coverage alone, and, if they met their deductible, a total of just under $18,000. Meanwhile, an average individual spent $3,852 on coverage and, if she spent another $4,358 to meet her deductible, a total of $8,210.

https://www.google.ca/amp/s/www.cnbc...alth-care.html

[CliffFletcher]

Originally Posted by Canehdianman

I was asking you if you knew what's in the YYC package, since you said "we'll throw hundreds of millions or billions at them for the privilege of having them set up shop in our region."

I'm presuming Calgary will offer something close to what other cities/states are offering. If not, I doubt they'll have any chance. Why would Amazon leave billions on the table? Because 'quality of life'?!

[Lanny_McDonald]

Why would Amazon leave billions on the table? Because 'quality of life'?!

Because...

NSFW!

Bears say Hi!

[Johnny Makarov]

Originally Posted by CliffFletcher

I'm presuming Calgary will offer something close to what other cities/states are offering. If not, I doubt they'll have any chance. Why would Amazon leave billions on the table? Because 'quality of life'?!

Calgary should have sweetened it's bid by making all their citizens Amazon Prime members through property taxes! If nothing they WILL have to build a distribution centre here!