I've read quite a few articles about the Amazon debacle, and the ones that I've found most interesting are those that I've seen in engineering and urban planning publications. They tend to be detached and objective about the financial details of the deal, but they offer a perspective that hasn't gotten a lot of attention.
In general, this is the point they make:
1. In most parts of the U.S., a corporate relocation that brings 25,000 new jobs to a region would be seen as an enormous economic boost. The people and their government representatives would bend over backwards to make a deal for this move.
2. However, there are a few places in the U.S. -- and they list New York City, Seattle, and most big California cities among them -- this sort of thing is actually seen as highly disruptive by many residents. By far, the biggest concern is among locals who realize that this type of project will radically transform their neighborhood and basically make it unaffordable to live there anymore.
The old man brings Little Johnny into school on the first day.
He tells the teacher Little Johnny pretty sharp and if he gets out of line, smack the kid next to him.
Little Johnny will take the hint.