Our area doesn't stand a chance against competition like this
fortune.com/2017/10/12/amazon-hq2-kansas-city/
fortune.comPosted Oct 12, 2017, 11:43 AM UTC
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fortune.comHampton roads doesn't have the public transportation requirement that Amazon wants.
It's a good dream but unlikely.
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VB could have made it look more appealing just last year... but noooooo.
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Yeah that whopping extra 2000 passengers a week that the HRT estimated that the Tide would have had would make it look like a haven.
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Updated numbers were almost double that 1 year ago and that's not including the route going to the base which Norfolk is pretty dead set about doing.
You people are backwards.
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Well I read the study and it's interesting but very coincidentally released, right before the vote was about to take place(maybe a month from it) so there is no real way to check the numbers or have an independent group do the study. I do also believe HRT was supposed to be in charge of building the new light rail extension too. I wouldn't mind an independent study to validate the claims. I didn't realize that "2000 extra passengers a week" figure was from 2015.
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Yeah, because Norfolk doesn't have elevated platforms at NSU that go over Brambleton.
Such fucking backwards thinking.
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Also, we need non-stop international fights.
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I'm sure airlines would of lined up to deliver non-stop flights if Amazon was really interested. No real public transportation option is a real negative.
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I totally agree, some airline would have stepped in with direct flights when that many people are involved.
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Like the UFC.
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I mean, that's neat that he did that.....but that's little more than a gimmick stunt. In fact, his reviews are kinda useless because they're clearly not about whatever the product is...and especially because he gave all of them 5 stars.
Our area has a slim chance of winning, but if we lose, it won't be because our competition's mayor bought a bunch of nicknacks on amazon and wrote superficial reviews about them. Amazon is going to choose based on factors that actually matter: Financial incentives, suitable infrastructure, and a steady supply of qualified and sufficient candidates.
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All of the incentives to come here are lacking.
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I don't think public transit is a HUGE concern for tech companies, as someone who's lived and worked in Silicon Valley...eek!
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I'll take you for (reasonably priced) drinks if Amazon goes anywhere but Denver Metro, Charlotte, or Raleigh/Durham.
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I recently moved from the Raleigh area and I'm a programmer. The number and salary of jobs here in my specialty is horrible compared to Raleigh. 😞
If I were picking for Amazon I'd definitely go to Raleigh before Hampton Roads.
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Hampton Roads isn't in the equation for. Amazon
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I didn't figure it would be.
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Yeah salary is not as high, but neither is cost of living. I’ve been living in Raleigh for 3 years now and I’m still amazed by how bad the housing bubble is here.
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Really? Because I think VB's housing and rents prices are ridiculous. Maybe we're talking about different areas of each.
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Living in Cary/Morrisville area right now, and seeing most rents around $1200-1400 per month for 2 bedroom nearby. In downtown area of Raleigh or Durham they are around $3k+
Townhomes right next to my apartment are starting at $350k+
It’s an unfortunate side effect of the huge migration of jobs and workers here from the northeast and West coast.
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Mine guesses are Raleigh/Durham, Atl, or DC. I personally don't think Denver is far enough from Seattle to be in the running.
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I hadn't thought about Denver that way but that does make sense.
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My understanding is it isn't about splitting Amazon operations across the country. The company cannot expand its HQ in Seattle without paying stupid money for the land.
Denver is very inexpensive for land, as is Charlotte & Raleigh/Durham. DC land is expensive & Atlanta is better in that respect but not by much. Additionally, quality of life for employees is very important to Amazon. They want outdoor activities & good transportation infrastructure.
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The infrastructure in Raleigh definitely can’t handle the 50k+ jobs they want in addition to all the other companies expanding and the subsequent growth that would come from getting their 2nd HQ. i thought HR had bad traffic until I moved from HR to the Triangle.
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So much for Virginia Beach trying to keep out the riff raff from park place by refusing to the light rail or any sort of public transport
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The infrastructure simply wouldn't handle it. There are traffic jams for the hell of it.
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The only city in Hampton roads to apply was Virginia Beach and they just voted down the light rail expansion......
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Let's be real, Amazon was never going to choose here. All the arguments being made for public transport still doesn't fix the fact that Hampton Roads is surrounded by tunnels and I doubt Amazon wants to set up HQ2 in an area that gets congested so easily.
Not to mention, we don't handle any form of inclement weather all that well, so it's another downside for them.
Valid, but rural Suffolk is ideal. That's why target set up their giant warehouse there. Portsmouth terminal doesn't need to use a tunnel to access Suffolk shipping centers on route 58 and they have the best rail setup in the state.
Yeah but Amazon isn't looking to set up a distribution center up, they are looking for corporate offices. Median pay for 50,000 employees is over 100k.
Well if its all about executive positions they'll go to Richmond, Raleigh or Charlotte instead
Amazon HQ2's most important need is about recruiting human capital not about the flow of goods. Why would the nation's top engineers want to come to a city mostly known for its cotton fields?
I'll bet northern Virginia is in the running and you don't know what congestion is until you spend an extended amount of time there.