Amazon HQ2 in STL Effort

pdm_ad · PostSep 20, 2017#2262017-09-20T19:34+00:00

dredger wrote: ↑
Sep 19, 2017
I thought that Express Scripts Chairman George Paz as part of the regional team was interesting to note in PD. On one hand, having Chairman of one of the biggest area companies on board is no brainer. On the other hand it is easy to read more into it, healthcare and especially prescription would be a new frontier for Amazon. Fun to speculate as it nothing more than that on my part, but would this be Paz way of jumping up and down & saying over hear, buy us out?

Bob Clark, Clayco is leading Centene's signature development and HOK is world class. Which gets me to another thought. Amazon play on St. Louis real estate would take Centene's Clayton CBD and even Quicken's Detroit relocation & subsequent real estate play to whole new level. In other words, where can Amazon find a lot lot of real estate including the city buying them a +1 million square foot tower that cheap? The resale and development once they start putting down those job numbers would probably pay for their own space in time. Heck, I didn't think about it between state and city they own a big chunk of property in west downtown as part of the failed 22nd parkway with a ready made plan and TIF in place to develop and who knows, maybe Bezos wants to own a soccer club

http://www.stltoday.com/business/local/ ... 7cf79.html

For St. Louis’ pitch to Amazon, Clayco Chairman and CEO Bob Clark is advising officials on the submission, in addition to Express Scripts Chairman George Paz, and staff from design firms Forum Studio and HOK, Stenger said

Interesting. There is news today about Amazon trying to enter the prescription drug delivery biz:

http://www.investors.com/news/technolog ... -business/

goat314 · PostSep 24, 2017#2272017-09-24T16:03+00:00

Protests could derail St. Louis' bid for second Amazon hub: sources

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-miss ... SKCN1BY0D7

quincunx · PostSep 24, 2017#2282017-09-24T18:33+00:00

Huh?

Other cities that have indicated they are in the running for the Amazon site include Seattle, Dallas, Houston and Denver.

STLEnginerd · PostSep 24, 2017#2292017-09-24T21:31+00:00

^ obviously Seattle is not in the running... haha. A comment like that does call into question the article overall but I do take the commentary seriously.

I do think that other cities would happily use our reputation against us when making their case. If St. Louis is not able to create a convincing counter narrative, it will definitely hurt us.

On some level I am encouraged that they think some protesters will be the the tipping point that loses HQ2 in the Lou, since the majority of the commentary seemed to think we were not even in the running because of airport, talent pool, transit, diversity, culture, and ability to attract millennial. If we lose based on racial unrest we outperformed the majority of expectations.

Chalupas54 · PostSep 24, 2017#2302017-09-24T23:52+00:00

goat314 wrote:Protests could derail St. Louis' bid for second Amazon hub: sources

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-miss ... SKCN1BY0D7

I think as some other people have indicated, the protests could possibly help our chances. I don’t think any of us will ever see the bid, but I think if the STL Partnership as well as others put a large impact study of some kind highlighting how transformative it would be for St Louis and how many people it would help would be very beneficial. I don’t think many other cities have a story like St Louis (Detroit maybe).

I don’t think we have lessened our chances by any means, IMHO.

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MarkHaversham · PostSep 25, 2017#2312017-09-25T00:54+00:00

STLEnginerd wrote: ↑
Sep 24, 2017
^ obviously Seattle is not in the running... haha. A comment like that does call into question the article overall but I do take the commentary seriously.

I've read in several places that Seattle is making a pitch for HQ2.

I also feel like StL would be pretty low on the list of places cities feel a need to specifically pitch against, unless they're citing specifics about every competing city within their proposals.

addxb2 · PostSep 26, 2017#2322017-09-26T12:38+00:00

If you didn’t get to read this article before the locked it...
- North Riverfront, RX, and AT&T are likely on the table.
- Region will take a health care approach.
- Mention of airport as a good resource.

St. Louis has large Location Quotients in Health Care, Financial Securities, and General Finance/Insurance. Also opportunity to give a piece of the airport. I think we’re a lot further in this race than people consider.

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... mazon.html

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PostSep 26, 2017#2332017-09-26T13:05+00:00

If we’re going to propose this idea of a campus along MetroLink between Ballpark and The Landing, how easy is it to add a new train that would travel back and fourth. Could we retrofit an area past Union Station and maybe East St. Louis where the trains could turn around? Could improve headway’s downtown during peak to 3-4 minutes.

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chaifetz10 · PostSep 26, 2017#2342017-09-26T13:24+00:00

Just add in a two interlockings on either end and it's an easy fix. Now, how it would logistically work scheduling wise without completely throwing off the regular service... not so sure.

That said, IF Amazon were to pick St. Louis and the campus were to span across multiple blocks, I'd image we'd see them build an enclosed skyway system similar to downtown Minneapolis or BJC's new pedestrian skybridges.

STLhistoryBuff · PostSep 26, 2017#2352017-09-26T13:29+00:00

addxb2 wrote: ↑
Sep 26, 2017
If we’re going to propose this idea of a campus along MetroLink between Ballpark and The Landing, how easy is it to add a new train that would travel back and fourth. Could we retrofit an area past Union Station and maybe East St. Louis where the trains could turn around? Could improve headway’s downtown during peak to 3-4 minutes.

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With the Blue and Red Lines overlapping there, it kind of already exists, doesn't it? If you only need to go between Stadium and East St. Louis, headway times are only 6 minutes.

bwcrow1s · PostSep 26, 2017#2362017-09-26T15:21+00:00

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... cle_search

I was able to read the full thing with a free login.

Lots of decent points made. But I'd rather see the residential come to the Railway Exchange and add some density. Amazon is going to want modern, slimmer headquarters, also, probably not a hulking full city block building. I think offering up AT&T for starters while development kicks off would be an obvious answer, even if temporary. If it did happen, it might be able to lure someone else to fill up that AT&T building at some point? Who also knows what will happen with BPV..

jshank83 · PostSep 27, 2017#2372017-09-27T13:44+00:00

But Amazon probably doesn't care equally about all the criteria, Mudambi said. Still, using his ranking of factors, Philly also still sits at No. 12, with Phoenix, San Diego, and St. Louis rising to the top.

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/t ... ld-go.html

goat314 · PostSep 27, 2017#2382017-09-27T15:42+00:00

I think we got more of a chance than many give us, but I still see this in some place like Atlanta or Dallas, possibly Denver. With that said, I think the tech talent angle is overblown. Wherever this lands will see a massive influx of techies. I actually think infrastructure and tax breaks will be deciding factor.

urban_dilettante · PostSep 27, 2017#2392017-09-27T17:06+00:00

goat314 wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
I think we got more of a chance than many give us, but I still see this in some place like Atlanta or Dallas, possibly Denver.

I really don't see Denver getting it simply due to location. Why would they choose a place so close to their current HQ and so far from the other most populated part of the country?

jshank83 · PostSep 27, 2017#2402017-09-27T17:34+00:00

goat314 wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
I think we got more of a chance than many give us, but I still see this in some place like Atlanta or Dallas, possibly Denver. With that said, I think the tech talent angle is overblown. Wherever this lands will see a massive influx of techies. I actually think infrastructure and tax breaks will be deciding factor.

I think Dallas probably has a good shot. Texas always seems to give tons of incentives. Depends on if they would rather be further east though. I do think it will be a bigger city.

jstriebel · PostSep 27, 2017#2412017-09-27T17:59+00:00

Leaders question decision-making process for St. Louis’ Amazon headquarters bid

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... j=78893591

Behind a paywall, but 5 second recap: St. Louis being St. Louis, but not as bad as you might image.

quincunx · PostSep 27, 2017#2422017-09-27T18:34+00:00

Ehlmann also asked how the group would decide what goes in the proposal.

“We envisioned to include the mayor of the city of St. Louis, the county executive of St. Louis County, the county executive of St. Clair County, and if St. Charles County wants to join in with us...” Sweeney said before being cut off by Ehlmann.

“Why would we not want to join?” Ehlmann said. “Why would we not want to be part of this?... We're supposed to go stand in line somewhere to be part of the decision-making process?”

moorlander · PostSep 27, 2017#2432017-09-27T18:54+00:00

^And Greitens needs more pressure on him to arrange the special session.

St. Louis Mayor Lyda Krewson asked whether Sweeney expected there to be a special session of the state Legislature to pass incentives for Amazon.

“The governor (Eric Greitens) has previously said that there would not be a special session for this, but I know that when he returns from China there are folks that are trying to get him to do so,” Sweeney said.

mjbais1489 · PostSep 27, 2017#2442017-09-27T18:56+00:00

quincunx wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017

Ehlmann also asked how the group would decide what goes in the proposal.

“We envisioned to include the mayor of the city of St. Louis, the county executive of St. Louis County, the county executive of St. Clair County, and if St. Charles County wants to join in with us...” Sweeney said before being cut off by Ehlmann.

“Why would we not want to join?” Ehlmann said. “Why would we not want to be part of this?... We're supposed to go stand in line somewhere to be part of the decision-making process?”

LOL. Sweeney basically with the "You want to be a part of this? It doesnt matter to us, but whatever, you can join if you want"

moorlander · PostSep 27, 2017#2452017-09-27T20:00+00:00

regarding phase 3 BPV

Cardinals President Bill DeWitt III previously told the Business Journal a phase three could come on three rectangular parcels to the north of the current plans. “Those could be anything, but set up nicely to be office or residential,” he said. “My dream would be a big company to come in and build a campus on three blocks and add some retail and add to the streetscape.”

DeWitt on Monday told ESPN radio that the site could be involved in a plan to lure Amazon to St. Louis.

https://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/new ... atest.html

San Luis Native · PostSep 27, 2017#2462017-09-27T20:03+00:00

^ Is it just me, or are Moorlander's quotes always messed up? ...Not picking on you Moorlander, just makes it hard to read your posts...

Bart Harley Jarvis · PostSep 27, 2017#2472017-09-27T20:17+00:00

San Luis Native wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
^ Is it just me, or are Moorlander's quotes always messed up? ...Not picking on you Moorlander, just makes it hard to read your posts...

Yes, they are.

moorlander · PostSep 27, 2017#2482017-09-27T20:23+00:00

San Luis Native wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
^ Is it just me, or are Moorlander's quotes always messed up? ...Not picking on you Moorlander, just makes it hard to read your posts...

Thanks for the heads up. I had no idea. I had the "disable bbcode" selected and just unchecked it. Does it look better now?

Bart Harley Jarvis · PostSep 27, 2017#2492017-09-27T20:40+00:00

moorlander wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017

San Luis Native wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
^ Is it just me, or are Moorlander's quotes always messed up? ...Not picking on you Moorlander, just makes it hard to read your posts...
Thanks for the heads up. I had no idea. I had the "disable bbcode" selected and just unchecked it. Does it look better now?

Yes

San Luis Native · PostSep 27, 2017#2502017-09-27T21:06+00:00

moorlander wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017

San Luis Native wrote: ↑
Sep 27, 2017
^ Is it just me, or are Moorlander's quotes always messed up? ...Not picking on you Moorlander, just makes it hard to read your posts...
Thanks for the heads up. I had no idea. I had the "disable bbcode" selected and just unchecked it. Does it look better now?

Yep. Thx dude.

Amazon HQ2 in STL Effort

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