Amazonis revisiting some of the citiesshortlistedforitsnew headquarters,HQ2, The Wall Street Journal reportedon Friday.Those cities include New York, Newark, Miami, and Chicago, according to The Journal.20 cities are still in the running, and Amazon is expected to announce a decision before the end of the year. Find out more about their proposals below.It's been nine months since Amazon announcedits short list of 20 cities that could become home to its newheadquarters, but the world is still none the wiser as to where it will be. And, it seems possible that Amazon isn't, either.The Wall Street Journal reported on Friday that Amazon has been revisiting some of the cities on the short list, including New York, Newark, Miami, and Chicago. Other cities, such asRaleigh, North Carolina, reportedly haven't heard from Amazon in months.Sources familiar with the matter told the Journal that Amazon is still in negotiations and hasn't finalized a deal with any of the locations yet.For the new headquarters, Amazon said it plans to invest over $5 billionand accommodate as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs, making it one of the largest corporate-civic giveaways in modern American history.It initially received238 proposals from North American locations that were eager to become its new home. At the start, Amazonoutlined several requirements for cities, including access to an international airport, a population of more than one million, and a "stable and business-friendly environment."Take a look at the proposals from the cities that are still in the running:Leanna Garfield contributed reporting to an earlier version of this article.SEE ALSO:There's more evidence that the race for Amazon's HQ2 is still wide openAtlanta, GeorgiaPossible sites:A 120-acre site that includes railroads and parking lots in Downtown Atlanta has been named as the city's primary site for HQ2, sources told The Atlantic Business Chronicle.Population:472,522Nearest international airports:Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International AirportNotable universities:Emory University, Georgia Institute of Technology, Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morehouse CollegeEconomic incentives:Themayor of Atlanta said the state and city are offering incentives and infrastructure improvements that would total over $1 billion.Why Amazon could choose the city: Atlanta has the fourth lowest home values and rents of the finalists, making it an appealing place for its 50,000 employees to come and live.Austin, TexasPossible sites:The city has not confirmed which sites have been proposed. However, the Austin Business Journal reported that a local real estate developer had been considering pitching the Broadmoor Campus, which is partly occupied by IBM in the north of Austin.Population:947,890Nearest international airports:AustinBergstrom International AirportNotable universities:Texas A&M University and The University of Texas at AustinEconomic incentives:The city will not offer special tax breaks to Amazon.Why Amazon could choose the city:Austin is a well-known tech hub, but it has a lower cost of living than other tech cities like San Francisco and Seattle. Plus, Amazon would benefit from being close to one of its corporate offices as well as Whole Foods' headquarters. Boston, MassachusettsPossible sites:The city published an in-depth proposal outlining all the sites it had pitched in Boston. Its first recommendation was the Suffolk Downs racetrack between East Boston and Revere. However, three other areas were also presented around Downtown Boston and the waterfront, the South End/Back Bay area, and the Allston/Brighton area. Population:673,184Nearest international airports:Logan International AirportNotable universities:Boston University, Boston College, Harvard University, MIT, and Northeastern UniversityEconomic incentives:The city will notoffer tax breaks to Amazon.Why Amazon could choose the city:There's a good public transportation infrastructure within the city, and it's well-connected to other major cities along the East Coast.See the rest of the story at Business Insider
Click here to read full news..
