Amazon’s HQ2 Selection Process Springs Several Leaks
Chief among them, the company has decided to split its headquarters into two locations and Long Island City is also in the running.
Leaks from Amazon are coming fast and furiously, the latest being the news that Amazon has decided to split its second headquarters into two locations instead of one, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, which cited one source familiar with the matter. Other publications have confirmed the decision with their own sources, including USA Today.
The apparent decision must be something of a let down to local officials, who had been eager to win the prize of 50,000 new jobs in the region. Now Amazon plans to divide its new workforce with 25,000 in one location and 25,000 in the other.
The reason for its decision to divide its headquarters is based on that most traditional of site selection factors: availability of labor, which in Amazon’s case means high tech and highly educated labor. Amazon hopes to find the best talent by tapping two local pools instead of one. Amazon also is seeking to mitigate some of the pressure on local infrastructure and housing by dividing its headquarters, according to the Journal.
Long Island City In The Running
Other reports, based on comments from unnamed executives, have said that Amazon has narrowed down its decision to three cities: Crystal City, Va., Dallas and New York. Here too, more news continues to leak. The New York Times is reporting that not only is Amazon planning to opt for New York City, but that it will choose Long Island City, a neighborhood on the western edge of Queens, for its headquarters. The second quarters will be in Northern Virginia, it said.