After months of deliberation, Amazon has narrowed its list of contenders for its second headquarters down from 238 cities to 20.
"Getting from 238 to 20 was very tough - all the proposals showed tremendous enthusiasm and creativity," Holly Sullivan of Amazon Public Policy said in a statement. "Through this process we learned about many new communities across North America that we will consider as locations for future infrastructure investment and job creation."
The new multi-billion-dollar facility will create as many as 50,000 high-paying jobs for the region it is constructed in. And according to Forbes, Boston is a no-brainer.
The criteria that Amazon put forth in looking for an area was that there be
- Existing buildings with at least 500,000 square feet of space and 8 million sq. ft. total site space.
- Stable and business-friendly regulations and tax structure
- Incentives the area could offer (tax credits, relocation grants, etc.)
- A large pool of skilled laborers.
- On-site access to transportation.
- An outline of the permitting process and timetable for construction.
- Cultural community fit.
- A community/quality of life.
Boston checks all the boxes. With its vibrant communities, numerous prestigious universities, and confirmed transportation systems, the city has a lot to offer the company. The construction of the company in Boston would also bring jobs to the thousands of graduates with tech degrees that have been forced to move away from the city, due to lack of job opportunities in that field.
If chosen, this would lead to a huge influx of buyers in the luxury real estate market, as workers take up residency in the city with their new high wages.