Free Republic

RALEIGH – Amazon is still considering the Triangle for its huge HQ2 project, and downtown Raleigh is where the ecommerce giant is most likely to build what would be a massive complex if North Carolina’s capital is the winner, according to sources. Several of the same sources also note that an announcement of Apple’s selection for a new campus is “imminent.” North Carolina has been aggressively pursuing both economic development projects which promise billions of dollars in investments and as many as 60,000 jobs. Winning the Apple project does not preclude the Triangle from being selected by Amazon, sources say....

As Amazon execs consider locations for HQ2, the Austin tech ecosystem has steadily been racking up major wins. Indeed announced today that it will be launching massive recruitment initiatives of its own, with plans to add 3,000 local employees over the next few years across all departments. That news follows last month’s announcement from The Home Depot of 1,000 new hires at its Austin tech center. “We are committed to growing in Austin, a city that is a proven tech hub with excellent access to talent and a community that encourages innovation,” said Indeed President Chris Hyams in a statement....