Amazon planning second headquarters with 50,000 jobs

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by CroFlames

Who the hell wants to live and work in Newark? It legit looks like a 3rd world country in many parts. Amazon also has to take into account the quality of life of their employees; not to mention the local talent pool should be fairly educated to begin with. You can't import 100% of your employees.

Seems you're relying on sterotypes. Have you been to other parts of New Jersey? These are going to be people with well paying jobs. They'll be living in the 'burbs, and the burbs are very nice in that part of New Jersey. Plus, who the hell wouldn't want to be a stones throw away from Manhattan? Unless you're a big outdoors man, and are wrestling bears in your spare time, I can't think of much that New Jersey/New York doesn't have on most places.

[Flamenspiel]

Originally Posted by New Era

Seems you're relying on sterotypes. Have you been to other parts of New Jersey? These are going to be people with well paying jobs. They'll be living in the 'burbs, and the burbs are very nice in that part of New Jersey. Plus, who the hell wouldn't want to be a stones throw away from Manhattan? Unless you're a big outdoors man, and are wrestling bears in your spare time, I can't think of much that New Jersey/New York doesn't have on most places.

Well, New Jersey also has the highest property tax in the US, I don't think that one is going to happen.

I think the trendy near shoring low cost centres in states like Iowa, Wisconsin, Missouri, Delaware, North Carolina and even Utah are all better bets.

I also think there is no way they pick Toronto or Vancouver either, for some of the same reasons they are moving on from Seattle. Calgary is not a bad choice.

[CroFlames]

Originally Posted by New Era

Seems you're relying on sterotypes. Have you been to other parts of New Jersey? These are going to be people with well paying jobs. They'll be living in the 'burbs, and the burbs are very nice in that part of New Jersey. Plus, who the hell wouldn't want to be a stones throw away from Manhattan? Unless you're a big outdoors man, and are wrestling bears in your spare time, I can't think of much that New Jersey/New York doesn't have on most places.

I've been to Parsippany which is nice and business orientated, but its far from the city centers. I think Amazon would be looking for a downtown campus.

[GGG]

THEre will be a leaked shortlist with a Canadian city on it just to extract threats and concessions out of Trump.

Whether or not it's a serious pitch will come down to the Labour and insurance savings and immigration benefits of Canada.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by New Era

Seems you're relying on sterotypes. Have you been to other parts of New Jersey? These are going to be people with well paying jobs. They'll be living in the 'burbs, and the burbs are very nice in that part of New Jersey. Plus, who the hell wouldn't want to be a stones throw away from Manhattan? Unless you're a big outdoors man, and are wrestling bears in your spare time, I can't think of much that New Jersey/New York doesn't have on most places.

I've spent my fair share of time in the state, and I think the only way Jersey has a shot is if they set up in a place like Jersey City (directly across the river from NYC).

Apart from the crazy high taxes of Jersey, the best people in that area tend to huddle around NYC, and want to be in an urban setting. You don't want to hang out in any "urban setting" in Jersey, and nobody wants to commute to some remote part of Jersey from NYC...but they would across the river.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by New Era

Seems you're relying on sterotypes. Have you been to other parts of New Jersey? These are going to be people with well paying jobs. They'll be living in the 'burbs, and the burbs are very nice in that part of New Jersey.

What makes you think prospective Amazon employees would want to live in the suburbs? Their current Seattle HQ is downtown, and there's a whole swath of condos that were recently built in the area so employees could live near their workplace. The HQ2 RFP specifically mentioned that the bidding cities require good cycling, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure, and the type of young tech workers Amazon will be recruiting tend to prefer downtown living over the suburban lifestyle.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by GGG

THEre will be a leaked shortlist with a Canadian city on it just to extract threats and concessions out of Trump.

Whether or not it's a serious pitch will come down to the Labour and insurance savings and immigration benefits of Canada.

Yup, I think people may be underestimating how much the bottom line is going to be the biggest item here. Amazon is all about operating at scale and reducing costs as much as possible in everything they do. I think Calgary looks pretty good in the cost regard, given they can pay employees in CAD (20-30% savings), health care, cheaper office space than places like Vancouver and Toronto, short flights for time savings...

Whoever gets Amazon, it is going to be because of the dollars and cents. A $7 billion tax break may not even be sweet enough, over the long term if costs are higher in that city.

[Phil1111]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Yup, I think people may be underestimating how much the bottom line is going to be the biggest item here. Amazon is all about operating at scale and reducing costs as much as possible in everything they do. I think Calgary looks pretty good in the cost regard, given they can pay employees in CAD (20-30% savings), health care, cheaper office space than places like Vancouver and Toronto, short flights for time savings...

Whoever gets Amazon, it is going to be because of the dollars and cents. A $7 billion tax break may not even be sweet enough, over the long term if costs are higher in that city.

Amazon has recently launched its own air cargo hub in Kentucky.
https://www.recode.net/2017/1/31/144...port-prime-air and its ambitions for expansion are without limits.

You are right about the pennies and I'm sure they will extract the last drop of milk from any taxpaying milk cows.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Yup, I think people may be underestimating how much the bottom line is going to be the biggest item here. Amazon is all about operating at scale and reducing costs as much as possible in everything they do.

The bottom line is definitely important, but I don't thinks it's as vital for an HQ as it is for the rest of their business. With an HQ, it's more about being able to have access to a wide pool of skilled talent, and being in an environment where that talent wants to be.

[Strange Brew]

Have to think Austin is really the front runner. Or maybe it’s too obvious.

[Lanny_McDonald]

Originally Posted by Table 5

I've spent my fair share of time in the state, and I think the only way Jersey has a shot is if they set up in a place like Jersey City (directly across the river from NYC).

Apart from the crazy high taxes of Jersey, the best people in that area tend to huddle around NYC, and want to be in an urban setting. You don't want to hang out in any "urban setting" in Jersey, and nobody wants to commute to some remote part of Jersey from NYC...but they would across the river.

I would agree with this. Newark provides the logistical strength but Jersey City provides the other accoutrements they are looking for.

Originally Posted by MarchHare

What makes you think prospective Amazon employees would want to live in the suburbs? Their current Seattle HQ is downtown, and there's a whole swath of condos that were recently built in the area so employees could live near their workplace. The HQ2 RFP specifically mentioned that the bidding cities require good cycling, pedestrian, and transit infrastructure, and the type of young tech workers Amazon will be recruiting tend to prefer downtown living over the suburban lifestyle.

Not saying where they would want to live, except to say that suggesting a whole city is a dump is joke. I guess we can take Calgary out of the running because Bowness, Dover and Victoria Park are armpits? No, because the people will go where the nice places are, or the nice places will be built near the Amazon campus, like they were in Seattle.

On the subject of where they would want to live, statistics in the United States clearly show there is an exodus to the 'burbs, even with gentrification efforts in cities around the country. People will go where they can afford to live, and affords them a particular lifestyle. Since most people have kids, and parents want their kids to have access to good schools, the trend is to go to where those good schools are - the 'burbs. Median age for an Amazon employee is 31 years of age, so there are plenty of workers who will be in those child rearing years and want to set their kids up for a good education. I can't really speak to the Amazon set, but the Intel in Arizona has driven up the cost of real estate in several of the bedroom communities. It will be interesting to see what effect the new hq2 has on the city that wins. 50,000 people cannot just be dropped in the middle of a city. There will be expansion in the outlying suburban areas needed.

[tvp2003]

What would make you happier: Flames win the Stanley Cup this year, or Calgary wins the Amazon HQ2 bid?

[dre]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

What would make you happier: Flames win the Stanley Cup this year, or Calgary wins the Amazon HQ2 bid?

I would need to experience both to give you an accurate answer.

[MarchHare]

Originally Posted by tvp2003

What would make you happier: Flames win the Stanley Cup this year, or Calgary wins the Amazon HQ2 bid?

I'd take Amazon over the Flames winning the next 10 Stanley Cups in a row. While I'd love to see the Flames win, Amazon putting their HQ here will have a huge, long-lasting economic impact that will (virtually overnight) change the fortunes of this city.

[OutOfTheCube]

I work for a transportation company that does a lot of shipping with Amazon already. Getting the DC here would basically set us up with a steady, huge volume shipper for the rest of forever.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by Table 5

The bottom line is definitely important, but I don't thinks it's as vital for an HQ as it is for the rest of their business. With an HQ, it's more about being able to have access to a wide pool of skilled talent, and being in an environment where that talent wants to be.

True, which I think Calgary also has a good chance of providing. Reasonable housing prices and amenities are good to have as incentive to get workers to move here as well. I just don't see Toronto or Vancouver being all that attractive given all their negatives.

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I'd take Amazon over the Flames winning the next 10 Stanley Cups in a row. While I'd love to see the Flames win, Amazon putting their HQ here will have a huge, long-lasting economic impact that will (virtually overnight) change the fortunes of this city.

I’d be cool with getting Amazon HQ2 and just the Canucks making it to the finals to lose in game 7. Canucks or Edmonton losing in the finals is just as satisfying as a Stanley Cup win.

[Muta]

Originally Posted by Wormius

I’d be cool with getting Amazon HQ2 and just the Canucks making it to the finals to lose in game 7. Canucks or Edmonton losing in the finals is just as satisfying as a Stanley Cup win.

I would say the Oiler hype machine constantly derailing is an annual tradition that is also just as satisfying as a Stanley Cup win.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I'd take Amazon over the Flames winning the next 10 Stanley Cups in a row. While I'd love to see the Flames win, Amazon putting their HQ here will have a huge, long-lasting economic impact that will (virtually overnight) change the fortunes of this city.

Flames winning 10 cups in a row is probably more likely

[Northendzone]

I find it somewhat ironic that amazon is seemingly worried out the quality of life the ee's at HQ2 would have; but, based on everything that is out there, it seems employees work 14 hrs per day 7 days per week.....