cities across the United States are rushing to appeal to Amazon, with the hope that the company will build its second headquarters there. But at the same time, some people wonder whether Amazon coming to their city is a good thing.
Thursday was Amazon’s deadline for cities to submit a bid for its second headquarters, as the company plans to invest $5 billion in construction which would generate 50,000 jobs for the chosen city. According to USA Today, key bidding cities include major cities such as Boston, Chicago, and New York, in addition to smaller areas such as Toledo or Gary, Indiana.
Amazon is looking for cities with at least 1 million in population, as well as an educated workforce, quick access to an international airport and mass transit, and a business-friendly environment.
Seattle, the home of Amazon’s current headquarters, is an example of the benefits of Amazon investment. In addition to Amazon and the constant presence of Microsoft, Facebook and Google have also set up large offices in the area. Seattle is now one of the fastest growing cities in the United States as tech workers flock there. Unemployment is low, and neglected areas have been revitalized as other businesses thrive to support said tech workers.
According to GeekWire, Seattle mayor Tim Burgess reaffirmed his commitment toward helping Amazon on Thursday in a letter which jokingly referenced Tinder in declaring that Seattle had “no intention of swiping left on you.” He was hopeful that the company will build the new headquarters close to the city.
Changing for the better?
Amazon has changed Seattle, and with change comes backlash. Just as some New Yorkers look back more fondly on the more “authentic” city of the 1980s and 1990s, some Seattle denizens miss the era before Amazon. Seattle native Timothy Egan wrote in the New York Times in an editorial titled “How Amazon Took Seattle’s Soul” that while he appreciated that wages have risen faster than anywhere else in the country, “I miss the old city, the lack of pretense, and dinner parties that didn’t turn into discussions of real estate porn.”
Not all of the concerns are mere nostalgia.
An inevitable effect of the sudden influx of workers is that real estate prices and rent have soared, like SCR888 payouts, pricing out the lower class workers who do much of the work that makes Seattle a livable city. Seattle could very well face the housing crisis which has hit cities like San Francisco, where living in a mere garage can demand thousands of dollars.
Poisoned chalice?
Cities like Boston which are already struggling to ensure affordable housing would face an even greater challenge if Amazon chose them. And other cities bidding could experience a cultural and political shift if Amazon selects a more conservative city and thousands of young, progressive tech workers move in.
But, despite the potential downsides of change, cities are falling all over themselves to be picked. There is no word on when Amazon will reach a decision. Experts from places like CNBC have listed cities that Amazon should pick, but the unpredictable company could pick somewhere unexpected.
