Amazon listened to NY. Wow indeed (see last sentence)
Amazon Cancels HQ2 Plans in New York City
Amazon will move forward with plans in Virginia and Nashville and will hire at other tech hubs
Amazon.com Inc. is abandoning its plans to build a new headquarters in New York City after the company faced stiff resistance from some local politicians who objected to giving one of the world's most valuable companies billions of dollars in tax incentives.
The company said in a blog post Thursday that its commitment to a new headquarters required supportive elected officials and collaboration.
"While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City," the company said.
The decision to abandon its new headquarters in Long Island City marks a stunning reversal. Amazon spent a year conducting a public search for a second headquarters, in which hundreds of locations vied for a shot at a promised 50,000 jobs and $5 billion in investment.
In November, Amazon decided to split the campus between Virginia and New York, partly to ensure it could recruit enough tech talent.
Amazon said it won't reopen its headquarters search. It will continue to add jobs at its other headquarters location in Northern Virginia, as well as offices in Nashville and other tech hubs around the country, the company said.
Amazon has faced criticism from some local officials, who questioned granting the company $3 billion in state and city tax incentives.
Cracks in the process appeared last week as Amazon executives started re-evaluating the planned campus in New York City. Discussions with Amazon had led some government officials to worry the company might abandon its plans to create 25,000 jobs and invest $2.5 billion in New York's Long Island City neighborhood.
Of particular concern to some inside Amazon was last week's nomination of New York state Sen. Mike Gianaris, a vocal opponent of the deal, to a state board that would have allowed him to veto the development plan, people familiar with the matter have said. Mr. Gianaris needs to be approved for the post by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
"Wow," Mr. Gianaris said immediately after the news broke.
Amazon Cancels HQ2 Plans in New York City
Amazon will move forward with plans in Virginia and Nashville and will hire at other tech hubs
Amazon.com Inc. is abandoning its plans to build a new headquarters in New York City after the company faced stiff resistance from some local politicians who objected to giving one of the world's most valuable companies billions of dollars in tax incentives.
The company said in a blog post Thursday that its commitment to a new headquarters required supportive elected officials and collaboration.
"While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City," the company said.
The decision to abandon its new headquarters in Long Island City marks a stunning reversal. Amazon spent a year conducting a public search for a second headquarters, in which hundreds of locations vied for a shot at a promised 50,000 jobs and $5 billion in investment.
In November, Amazon decided to split the campus between Virginia and New York, partly to ensure it could recruit enough tech talent.
Amazon said it won't reopen its headquarters search. It will continue to add jobs at its other headquarters location in Northern Virginia, as well as offices in Nashville and other tech hubs around the country, the company said.
Amazon has faced criticism from some local officials, who questioned granting the company $3 billion in state and city tax incentives.
Cracks in the process appeared last week as Amazon executives started re-evaluating the planned campus in New York City. Discussions with Amazon had led some government officials to worry the company might abandon its plans to create 25,000 jobs and invest $2.5 billion in New York's Long Island City neighborhood.
Of particular concern to some inside Amazon was last week's nomination of New York state Sen. Mike Gianaris, a vocal opponent of the deal, to a state board that would have allowed him to veto the development plan, people familiar with the matter have said. Mr. Gianaris needs to be approved for the post by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.
"Wow," Mr. Gianaris said immediately after the news broke.