I do know that Raleigh has thrown its hat into the ring.
Birmingham?! I thought they had a crime problem. Maybe Hoover, Al.
Des Moines probably helps Zuck if he runs in 2020.
it’s going to Austin, mark my words
Austin or DC+WV
Reno, Nevada.
==== I would think that Des Moines ====
I’ll answer that with a link to the map showing non-stop destinations from Des Moines.
http://www.dsmairport.com/flight-and-travel/non-stop-destinations-map/default.aspx
Salt Lake City is as close as you can get to Seattle in one hop. Birmingham is even worse - Denver.
I’d look at cities that offer Tech and a hub airport. They’ve also indicated they want a city with a downtown and with transit, and affordable housing. Austin, Dallas, Salt Lake City, Denver come to mind. Raleigh is iffy on the urban markers but might make the list (barely enough airport to qualify), as might Atlanta. Boston would be a longshot but might also make the list. Central Florida would be a very long shot.
Anyplace else would probably have to throw in NFL Stadium sized money.
Just a great, all-around city.
If the government would move out of DC to the Hinterland (Where they actually belong) there would be plenty of empty office space, warehouses, housing etc etc in the Md & VA suburbs (heard they are supposed to put a 3 way joint venture bid-— THAT should be interesting - they can’t run a subway/bus transit system jointly).
Give the leeches a chance to get out of town and Amazon can move in and take over.
Also the highway infrastructure is great...just check it out in Jul/Aug when the govt employees leave.
OR
Kick the illegals and UN out of NY and you have another possibility.
Something east. Columbus Ohio. 500 miles within half the US population base and testing grounds for all of retail America.
my bet is St Paul/Minneapolis
Detroit. Lots of great housing available, established infrastructure, what’s not to like?
People are championing their favorite places it seems, or looking at overall appeal as a corporate relocation destination, but there are I think reasons unique to Amazon to want to broaden their national reach within the US that would have them wanting to be on the east coast. I think their overly aggressive corporate political culture will prevent them from even considering a metropolitan area in a truly “red” state, could be wrong but think it’s a reasonable assumption. So, Raleigh, love ya, best of luck but between the bathroom bill and voting Trump in 2016 I think any metro in my native NC is out as is any Trump state. That wipes out the entire southeast except for... Virginia.
Regarding other east coast metros, that leaves mid-Atlantic on up into New England. I see the cost of Boston putting them off, NYC fuhgettaboudit, Philly, nah, DC way too expensive unless they’re way back into the outer reaches of commuter hell in West Virginia which could be an outlier, I suppose. The only east coast metro outside of the southeast that I see fitting the bill gives me a sinking feeling because a corporate do-gooder SJW mindset would love to make it bloom again, that would be Baltimore.
But, I honestly think it’s the Norfolk-Virginia Beach region of Tidewater Virginia. Port city, metro population 1.7 million, nice airport although connections could be better but that would change with the advent of a large contingent of new business flyers I’m sure. It’s a red metro in a purple state turning blue, so if they want to cement a political influence that would represent quite a beachhead. Speaking of beachhead, the recreational opportunities and overall geographical attractiveness would be excellent, with the MSA comprising parts of the Outer Banks in North Carolina, Virginia Beach itself, lots of lifestyle appeal.
I just don’t see Amazon going to all that time and effort for a 2nd HQ just to go a couple hundred miles, they’re going to get in the thick of the opposite end of the country. Pro-business state but not red. Some semblance of a tech presence established although not necessarily a tech hub per se. I think they relate to a port city for more than just business reasons, too. Lifestyle and livability would be a major concern.
So, the Hampton Roads MSA comprising Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Newport News, assorted other smaller cities as well as the far northeast corner of NC is in pretty good shape on all of those points, in my opinion.
The argument “It has to be a local tolerant culture”. AKA - change local ordinances to match Amazon’s politics or you don’t get these jobs?
Well, if Amazon is gonna go all noblesse oblige, I cordially invite them to put their money where their execs’ mouths are and site in Upstate NY. Our ‘Rat and RINO run Utopia ought be just what they’re looking for.