Amazon HQ2 in STL Effort

dredger · PostSep 08, 2017#1012017-09-08T06:20+00:00

Wow, I didn't truly realize the scope of this until I read a few articles Now I just need to delete my earlier post and completely rethink. Plus, Is Amazon looking to dominate North American as a whole?

First thought. Hope Aesir is right about a strong business case to be had for St. Louis and would add that MO GOP governor golden boy might have some play but not much in the big scheme of things (think Wisconsin Gov landing Foxconn & previous attempts by MO statehouse to hand Boeing a huge check). For St Louis itself to compete. A new Northside regeneration vision project with Bottleworks as Amazon's signature location and north riverfront site as campus expansion is ready made to the handle scope. Ties into Wash Ave loft District, Laclede's landing and northside housing as well as N-S light rail w adjustments but literally a clean urban slate for the campus itself.

Second thought. Wish STLRainbow didn't bring up some competing cities such Chicago and Detroit that make a lot of sense to me. To me Detroit could offer the hard luck story turned success for political reasons (also the POTUS admin would love showing up to say he landed the deal for another GOP Governor) with plenty of land to place an urban campus and rebuild housing along its central corridor (which has a new streetcar to boot). From a business perspective It also fits well as North America HQ with it being the center of North America auto manufacturing already with its business ties to Canada & Mexico as well as Windsor just across the border in Canada (Could split the campus) , East coast time zone as well as a Delta Hub.

Chicago simply has the metro size for the workforce, existing Corporate HQ base, recognition and O'Hara to dwarf most of the competing Midwest cities. It is truly going to take Amazon to think something big if they don't choose a Chicago, or even a Detroit, Toronto or Montreal.

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 332b2.html

The Seattle-based company announced Thursday that it was opening up a request for proposals process for a second headquarters in North America. The new location will be “a full equal” with its current Seattle headquarters, the company said, with as many as 50,000 jobs, said Jeff Bezos, Amazon founder and CEO. The average compensation for each new full-time employee will exceed $100,000

urban_dilettante · PostSep 08, 2017#1022017-09-08T06:50+00:00

STLrainbow wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
I mean, they're asking about things like bike lanes and we don't even have a bikeshare program.

but we have more bike-lane miles than Seattle.

St.Louis1764 · PostSep 08, 2017#1032017-09-08T07:45+00:00

jshank83 wrote: ↑
Sep 07, 2017

St.Louis1764 wrote: ↑
Sep 07, 2017

Heres a list of 20 cities that have the potential to pull it off.
1.New York City
2. Chicago
3. Denver
4. Minneapolis
5. Dallas
6. Pittsburgh
7. Kansas City
8. Boston
9. Philadelphia
10. Detroit
11. Charlotte
12. Cincinnati
13. Atlanta
14. Austin
15. Oklahoma City
16. Cleveland
17. Houston
18. Baltimore
19. Memphis
20. Nashville
2 Wild Card Cities
1. San Antonio
2. St.Louis

I don't disagree with cities on this list expect I don't see how Memphis fits at all. Flight options are really bad and I don't see how they would have the workforce for it. Mass transit is also poor. I can't see any way they would be in the top 30 options.

Oklahoma City I could probably fit into that also but I at least see it as up and coming.

I also am assuming by your list you are not including any west coast options. I am assuming you don't think they would put it in another west coast city?

I believe St.Louis's chances aren't any greater than all the cities i listed or didn't add on the list.
It's always fun to speculate on which city has the most potential however i feel like why is Amazon taunting cities like St.Louis Memphis Cleveland knowing they don't stand a chance?
Chicago is always a obvious no brainer however the cost of living and taxes alone really don't make Chicago all that attractive including when you throw in tolls traffic etc.
Pittsburgh to me is a nice city but its over hyped in my opinion the same with Detroit but both are good respectable cities with better chances than St.Louis.
The thing that hurts St.Louis badly is all around quality of life racial disparity also the regional fragmentation prime example St.Clair county.
West Coast doesn't make any sense when Seattle is already the bread and butter.
Realistically i think they are looking at a Great Lakes City or a East coast city with superb international access also quality of life is high on the list.
Chicago
Detroit
Milwaukee only because its relatively close to Chicago
Minneapolis
Cincinnati
Boston would be perfect for Amazon
New York City
Atlanta
Philadelphia
Miami
If i were Amazon i pick a low radar city that has a lot of room for growth.
St.Louis honestly is not a bad city not a bad choice and you never know!
Just wish our leaders can find collaborative ways to come together at all times and fix the quality of life in St.Louis not just when jobs are at stake or sports teams are threatening to leave.
I say put a good aggressive bid on rebuilding all of St.Louis City.
Fill in the blanks

symphonicpoet · PostSep 08, 2017#1042017-09-08T08:26+00:00

goat314 wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

moorlander wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
jeff Bezos says "I Iike this place, it has soul." Well gosh darn it if there's one think St Louis has it's soul!
Seattle is about as soulful as Denver or Salt Lake City.

Have you been to all three? I've been to all of them recently. That makes absolutely no sense to me. Salt Lake is . . . pretty soulless, I'll give you that. And Denver is . . . odd. But Seattle really does have something. It's not San Francisco in seventies or the eighties, but it's something.

Do I think we can land this? No, not really. But as was said elsewhere, someone wins the lottery. There are real advantages to the region. The geography and the cost of living aren't vaporware. They're not enough to seal the deal, but they're a start. Anyway . . . back to the regularly scheduled trolling and extolling.

PostSep 08, 2017#1052017-09-08T09:11+00:00

Someone asked what incentives we can offer:

Off the cuff we should offer a dedicated team for the applications and permitting. (And we should offer to wave all fees.) Obviously we should offer all the financing we can afford. But all that stuff is easy.

This is Amazon, right? Surely that name means something. They're building biospheres in their new Seattle HQ. Sell the connection to the Botanical Garden. Offer to throw equal funding to seed preservation and biodiversity. Show them what we can do for biodiversity, for the environment that's special. Make sure our own Amazon shines especially bright. (MoBot has been doing Amazon since rather before Bezos and he might well actually know that. It being a big deal and all.) Perhaps drag Peter Raven out of retirement. Hire him to help pitch. Hit Bezos where he cares. I have a vague recollection that he even likes all things Japanese. We have some subtle sells we can use as well. Some subtle incentives that are . . . not quite unique, but unusual.

Offer the diversity. Offer the grit. Offer the opportunity to make a real and lasting change. Again. He can't do that as surely or clearly in New York or Chicago.

And this may be where all that warm fuzzy millennial buzz actually matters. Give him bricks and bespoke brews. Salt Lake City is importing old buildings from Detroit and Boston. (Per the young engineering crowd at a recent millennial tech wedding I had the pleasure to attend out in West Jordan.) Give them smokestacks as flower planters. Give them brown fields that we will make green together. (With all application fees waved and a fast track process for all permits.) Give them urban exploration, and point out that it can be made beautiful, that the ruins can be saved. (Note not only City Museum but the church on Vandeventer. Which, by the way, we could light and pretty up. I am deeply glad we saved that one.)

As to troubles with politics, I see no reason we couldn't give Amazon a unified pitch with several options, one of which could (and perhaps should) be in St. Clair County. Hell, offer to pretty up and rename either the MacArthur or McKinley. Whichever is closer. Have Bezos Bridge cutting through the middle of the new Amazon campus. A green bridge. Covered with trees and bike lanes. A dog park in the air.

But in all seriousness, we do have things we can offer. We can offer probably as strong a flow of business students studying supply chain management as any city in the nation. Wash U and SLU both have quite respectable supply chain programs. Wash U has a special women in business program. And there are scads of other supply chain programs around town (at UMSL, Webster, Fontbonne, Maryville, and lord only knows what else.) That's what Amazon is all about. They are, in the end, a logistics company first and foremost. They represent a way of completely reengineering the final leg of the process. And now they're going after the earlier legs too. Doing that will require top-notch engineering, management, and logistics. We can offer all of that.

And a bucket of money. Someone find the bucket of money. But don't forget the other stuff. It might actually matter. It's worth remembering that Amazon is still run by people with emotions who make decisions for reasons that go beyond just the bottom line. Don't forget that last figure. It makes a difference. But keep the fuzzy stuff too. Sell it. Work it.

pdm_ad · PostSep 08, 2017#1062017-09-08T12:07+00:00

https://qz.com/1071832/amazons-hq2-what ... dquarters/

5. Logistics. Amazon is first and foremost a master of logistics, so it should come as no surprise that the company cares a lot about transportation. Amazon wants on-site access to mass transit—train, subway, or bus—and to be no more than one or two miles from major highways and connecting roads. It wants to be within 45 minutes of an international airport with daily direct flights to Seattle, New York, the San Francisco Bay area, and Washington DC. The company is also asking applicants to identify “all transit options, including bike lanes and pedestrian access” for the proposed site and to rank traffic congestion during peak commuting hours.

This would seem to eliminate our friends in KC.

whitherSTL · PostSep 08, 2017#1072017-09-08T13:28+00:00

Wouldn't it be great for a city to release this statement:

"Over the past several years AMZN has scoured the US for the best tax-laden/incentive deals they could find in placing their warehouses and logistic centers. This frisking of the American taxpayer will no longer float in our city. AMZN's announcement of HQ2 is the Super Bowl of a civic frisking and we will not be part of it. Good luck to the other cities who want to join the fray."

I think I'd move there.

matguy70 · PostSep 08, 2017#1082017-09-08T13:58+00:00

Seattle Times reporting STL and KC vying for headquarters. No other cities mentioned. Strange.

[url]/http://www.seattletimes.com/nation-worl ... -world[url]

Amazon says these are demands for new headquarters:
STL vs KC
Mass Transit System: STL by far
30 Miles to international Airport: STL (way more flights/destinations and new [revamped] airport with direct mass transit)
Much larger Metro population with greater services and larger infrastructure
5th Largest Fortune 500 City in USA

AT&T Tower!!!

chaifetz10 · PostSep 08, 2017#1092017-09-08T14:03+00:00

We'll probably see more City A vs. City B comparisons happening and I'm sure Amazon is already thinking through some of these and has a pretty good idea what their top 5-10 targets are. This feels more like a way to get their top choices to give in even more by bringing in cities that have no chance yet will drive up the tax incentive bidding.

Just like the NFL has done with stadiums and threatening relocation to smaller cities that can offer better incentives, corporations will start doing this more and more.

whitherSTL · PostSep 08, 2017#1102017-09-08T14:14+00:00

Totally agree. AMZN most likely has 3-4 cities in their sights and will use the best deal they get to make said 3-4 cities match.

I'd punt.

zink · PostSep 08, 2017#1112017-09-08T14:18+00:00

MoneyWatch doesnt even include St. Louis as a top contender simply because they dont have enough educated adults:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-hq ... ontenders/

So that mixed with the false perception that St. Louis is one of the most dangerous cities... it is going to be a long shot. ATT tower is not big enough for long term plans they have. They would have to take over the entire riverfront which would be a win/win.

jstriebel · PostSep 08, 2017#1122017-09-08T14:47+00:00

Just purchased amazon2stl.com and amzn2stl.com. While our leaders handle the actual commitments and offers, I really want to put our best grassroots feet forward.

I know it's a long shot. And I know it's mostly going to be the other stuff that talks. But whatever it takes.

Any ideas?

whitherSTL · PostSep 08, 2017#1132017-09-08T14:57+00:00

zink wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
MoneyWatch doesnt even include St. Louis as a top contender simply because they dont have enough educated adults:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-hq ... ontenders/

So that mixed with the false perception that St. Louis is one of the most dangerous cities... it is going to be a long shot. ATT tower is not big enough for long term plans they have. They would have to take over the entire riverfront which would be a win/win.

Oh my. We really do suck.

bwcrow1s · PostSep 08, 2017#1142017-09-08T15:09+00:00

jstriebel wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
Just purchased amazon2stl.com and amzn2stl.com. While our leaders handle the actual commitments and offers, I really want to put our best grassroots feet forward.

I know it's a long shot. And I know it's mostly going to be the other stuff that talks. But whatever it takes.

Any ideas?

I'm a filmmaker and we could make a compelling video if anything gets off the ground.

chaifetz10 · PostSep 08, 2017#1152017-09-08T15:13+00:00

jstriebel wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
Just purchased amazon2stl.com and amzn2stl.com. While our leaders handle the actual commitments and offers, I really want to put our best grassroots feet forward.

I know it's a long shot. And I know it's mostly going to be the other stuff that talks. But whatever it takes.

Any ideas?

Turn around and sell them for a nice profit!

earthling · PostSep 08, 2017#1162017-09-08T15:17+00:00

pdm_ad wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
https://qz.com/1071832/amazons-hq2-what ... dquarters/

5. Logistics. Amazon is first and foremost a master of logistics, so it should come as no surprise that the company cares a lot about transportation. Amazon wants on-site access to mass transit—train, subway, or bus—and to be no more than one or two miles from major highways and connecting roads. It wants to be within 45 minutes of an international airport with daily direct flights to Seattle, New York, the San Francisco Bay area, and Washington DC. The company is also asking applicants to identify “all transit options, including bike lanes and pedestrian access” for the proposed site and to rank traffic congestion during peak commuting hours.
This would seem to eliminate our friends in KC.

KCI does go nonstop to all of those, though only Alaska Airlines to Seattle.

Bloomberg thinks they'll want a major top 10 airport anyway. Depending on incentives, am seeing Dallas, Atlanta and Chicago on short list, maybe Denver. Hard to imagine markets smaller than top 12-15 really making the short list, but all should certainly try. KC's strengths beyond requirements are being a major logistics center, several Amazon warehouses already. Gigabit fiber over most of city and major smart city player might help.

http://www.areadevelopment.com/specialP ... s002.shtml

jstriebel · PostSep 08, 2017#1172017-09-08T15:33+00:00

In regards to airports, isn't there a little "if you build it, they will come" factor there?

St. Louis is a former major international airport and hub. I think we scaled back some of our infrastructure, but it's largely all there, and Southwest keeps growing there. It's often been reported that the lack of business demand and/or incentive has been on reason our airport hasn't recovered more (though that's not to say we haven't had positive momentum).

So... if Amazon suddenly puts down roots for tens of thousands of employees who need to travel from St. Louis all over the country and even the world...doesn't that immediately have airlines considering adding those flights? Not to help St. Louis, but rather because the demand would be there?

mjbais1489 · PostSep 08, 2017#1182017-09-08T15:35+00:00

whitherSTL wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

zink wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
MoneyWatch doesnt even include St. Louis as a top contender simply because they dont have enough educated adults:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-hq ... ontenders/

So that mixed with the false perception that St. Louis is one of the most dangerous cities... it is going to be a long shot. ATT tower is not big enough for long term plans they have. They would have to take over the entire riverfront which would be a win/win.

Oh my. We really do suck.

What % of the Region have Bachelor degrees or higher?

jshank83 · PostSep 08, 2017#1192017-09-08T15:51+00:00

mjbais1489 wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

whitherSTL wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

zink wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017
MoneyWatch doesnt even include St. Louis as a top contender simply because they dont have enough educated adults:
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazons-hq ... ontenders/

So that mixed with the false perception that St. Louis is one of the most dangerous cities... it is going to be a long shot. ATT tower is not big enough for long term plans they have. They would have to take over the entire riverfront which would be a win/win.

Oh my. We really do suck.
What % of the Region have Bachelor degrees or higher?

This is 5 years old but no county in the area was over 24% in 2012

16.7% for the region.... woof...

https://pprc.umsl.edu/pprc.umsl.edu/dat ... -Nov14.pdf

addxb2 · PostSep 08, 2017#1202017-09-08T15:54+00:00

jstriebel wrote:Just purchased amazon2stl.com and amzn2stl.com. While our leaders handle the actual commitments and offers, I really want to put our best grassroots feet forward.

I know it's a long shot. And I know it's mostly going to be the other stuff that talks. But whatever it takes.

Any ideas?

You could try to get a large rally planned? It may put St. Louis on the map if we could gather a few hundred or thousand people in one area just to take a big "please come to St. Louis picture" Maybe north Arch grounds?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

moorlander · PostSep 08, 2017#1212017-09-08T15:56+00:00

How are these large metro areas with the big airports going to amass 100 or so acres near transit, bike, lanes, etc? How are they going to address cost of living? Traffic and commuting concerns?

I was reading an article on the subject yesterday and it was noted that Amazon is already finding it harder and harder to recruit to Seattle as the cost of living grows and grows.

jbacott · PostSep 08, 2017#1222017-09-08T15:59+00:00

The St. Clair thing cracks me up/frustrates the hell out of me. Of the criteria that Amazon has put out, they literally have zero of them unless they try to latch onto STL. Yep, go ahead and throw your hat into the ring with a separate proposal from the city you will be banking on to meet 95% of the requirements. That's like Munster, IN putting in a proposal separate from Chicago's.

I honestly think that the concept of Amazon being a catalyst to turning a major American city around could stroke Bezos' ego enough to consider STL. That's our best shot anyway. If it's truly all about best business decision, then Chicago, Atlanta and myriad other cities would probably work better for many reasons.

But Amazon is set on being a world-changer. I think they know that whatever city they choose it will be a big enough deal to watch the market evolve around them. The concept of going into a city like Chicago and being another building in a skyline filled with them might not be as appealing. Google is building their Midwest HQ in the West Loop and it's a blip on the radar.

For anyone who has been to Seattle it really is fascinating to see how much of that city's explosion over the last ten years is attributable to Amazon. Perhaps they feel they can build another Seattle.

One aspect of the STL proposal would need to be a strong endorsement from the top execs at businesses already headquartered here in the market. Use them to help bolster the idea that those tangible assets are legit advantages - colleges like SLU/Wash U pumping out talent, burgeoning entrepreneur hub (although every city seems to say the same), ample land for development, low cost of employment and living.

Maybe we can let them put a sign on the Arch.

moorlander · PostSep 08, 2017#1232017-09-08T16:03+00:00

jshank83 wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

mjbais1489 wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

whitherSTL wrote: ↑
Sep 08, 2017

Oh my. We really do suck.
What % of the Region have Bachelor degrees or higher?

This is 5 years old but no county in the area was over 24% in 2012

16.7% for the region.... woof...

https://pprc.umsl.edu/pprc.umsl.edu/dat ... -Nov14.pdf

In 2010 census St. Louis had 29.9% with a college degree.

42 St. Louis, MO-IL 29.9%

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2012 ... ml?mcubz=1

pat · PostSep 08, 2017#1242017-09-08T16:19+00:00

How are these large metro areas with the big airports going to amass 100 or so acres near transit, bike, lanes, etc? How are they going to address cost of living? Traffic and commuting concerns?

I was reading an article on the subject yesterday and it was noted that Amazon is already finding it harder and harder to recruit to Seattle as the cost of living grows and grows.

Agreed. We are trending up, especially with younger people with a bachelor's degree.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/petesaunde ... 96ee8dd3cc

St.Louis1764 · PostSep 08, 2017#1252017-09-08T16:22+00:00

Calgary Montreal Toronto Mexico City? They did mention north America so its not so inclusive to the 48 states.
Either way sounds very exhausting and seems like its pitting cities against each other in a negative image ... I feel this is so high school, tacky just pick a city and be on with it

I'll say its all about the first top 10-15 cities in North America maybe a stretch to go 25 this would put St.Louis out of the running anyways but you never know unless you try right?

Amazon HQ2 in STL Effort

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