Amazon announced yesterday its “short list” of 20 cities for their second headquarters, to be named HQ2, behind Seattle, WA. Amazon received 238 bids from cities around the US and other North American countries and whittled the list down to 20 finalists. HQ2 is expected to bring 50,000 high paying jobs to its new city and construct a $5 billion facility. Amazon says HQ1 brought Seattle $38 billion into its economy from 2010-2016, so it is no wonder so many cities around the US submitted bids.
Criteria Used to Evaluate Cities
Amazon says they were looking for a metro area of 1 million or more people, proximity to a major airport and the city’s ability to attract top tech talent. With Apple, Facebook, Google and other top tech companies already in Austin, top tech talent should be easy to find.
Amazon also cited the 400,000+ college students from top universities in the immediate Austin area was another draw as it could provide talent for decades to come. Plus, with Amazon’s newest acquisition, Whole Foods located in Austin, many think Austin would be a no brainer for HQ2.
Dallas was the Second Texas City to Be Named
The only other Texas city on the list is Dallas, though many are surprised Houston missed the cut.
18 Other Cities Competing with Austin
Here are the 17 other US cities and one Canadian city that are competing with Austin.
- Atlanta
- Boston
- Chicago
- Columbus, Ohio
- Denver
- Indianapolis
- Los Angeles
- Miami
- Montgomery County, Maryland
- Nashville
- Newark
- New York City
- Northern Virginia
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh
- Raleigh
- Toronto
- Washington, D.C.
Considering Relocating to Austin?
With one of the best job markets in the US, a Austin Relocation Guide Blog and our Guide to Relocating to Austin. When you’re ready to reach out to a Realtor to find out more about what the city has to offer, call us at (512) 827-8323, email us at info@11OaksRealty.com or fill out our Relocation Survey to get started.
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