Amazon $5 bil co-HQ's in play

[thelakelander]

Lol the AV stuff is JTA's Skyway plan that they've been pushing for a few years now. It has nothing to do with Amazon. They already have a goal to run something down Bay. Hopefully, it won't turn out like what's shown in the video. We're going to be disappointed if Jax's transit plan turns out to be whatever (doesn't matter if it's AV, buses or rail) mixed in traffic with cars.

[Captain Zissou]

Why JAX?

1. It's Florida. Great weather. Great beaches. No state income tax. Plenty of vacant land.
2. UF, FSU, and UNF. That's a respectable list and all within 160 miles, a short drive or flight.
3. JAX International Airport. A really nice facility and primed for expansion for more international flights.
4. The St Johns river and Jaxport. Literally unlimited opportunities for expansion and recreation.
5. The Jaguars and Shad Khan. An NFL franchise and one of the most dynamic owners. Can anyone say "Amazon.com Stadium?"
6. The Players Championship and the PGA. Another opportunity for a world class corporate tie in/sponsorship.
7. I 10 an I 95. Add CSX and you have a transportation and logistics hub that is well established but not too crowded.
8. Amazing health care infrastructure in place. Mayo, Baptist, UF Health Proton therapy, MD Anderson, . it's a really impressive list.
9. Plenty of large vacant buildings downtown and plenty of vacant parcels. Add to that the impending demolition of the old court house
    and surrounding area .......
10. I could easily see Bezos partnering with Elon Musk to design and build a fleet of autonomous 15-20 passenger vans that connect his
     downtown campus. Once in service he could sell the vans to municipalities around the globe.
11. Haskell. A world class design build firm right here in Jacksonville ready to take on any construction task Amazon could put forth. As long as it's tilt up.
12. Unless I'm mistaken , there are more Fortune 500 Companies in Jax than any other Florida city. Technically true, but still nope.
13. No real competition here. If Amazon picked Jacksonville they would immediately be THE PLAYER in North East Florida, and perhaps
      the most important corporation in the state. That's a lot of power and influence and from here they could make a lot happen, with
      very little local interference. Politically, they could impact national and local elections if desired.

14. Be honest. Jax is pretty much a blank slate in it's current form. There are few cities this old with this much upside.
15. Besides Detroit, there is no place Amazon can go where the cost of operation is going to be lower than here. Quality real estate for
      this type of project is cheap and plentiful. Wages in Florida are lower than most of the competing areas. New Jersey? You'll have to
      pay double for each person so they can afford to live nearby. Not here. 

Add it all up.

WE WIN!!!! "

There.  I fixed it for you.

[MusicMan]

Watch the link Captain.  You want me to quote it for you?

[TimmyB]

I love the YouTube video. If you look at my proposal from earlier in this thread (Ocober 1)  they pretty much "stole" my ideas point by point.

"


Re: Amazon $5 bil co-HQ's in play
October 01, 2017, 12:20:58 PM »

I think Jacksonville absolutely should be pursuing this, regardless of their perceived chances of success.

Why JAX?

1. It's Florida. Great weather. Great beaches. No state income tax. Plenty of vacant land.
2. UF, FSU, and UNF. That's a respectable list and all within 160 miles, a short drive or flight.
3. JAX International Airport. A really nice facility and primed for expansion for more international flights.
4. The St Johns river and Jaxport. Literally unlimited opportunities for expansion and recreation.
5. The Jaguars and Shad Khan. An NFL franchise and one of the most dynamic owners. Can anyone say "Amazon.com Stadium?" 
6. The Players Championship and the PGA. Another opportunity for a world class corporate tie in/sponsorship.
7. I 10 an I 95. Add CSX and you have a transportation and logistics hub that is well established but not too crowded.
8. Amazing health care infrastructure in place. Mayo, Baptist, UF Health Proton therapy, MD Anderson, . it's a really impressive list.
9. Plenty of large vacant buildings downtown and plenty of vacant parcels. Add to that the impending demolition of the old court house
    and surrounding area .......
10. I could easily see Bezos partnering with Elon Musk to design and build a fleet of autonomous 15-20 passenger vans that connect his
     downtown campus. Once in service he could sell the vans to municipalities around the globe.
11. Haskell. A world class design build firm right here in Jacksonville ready to take on any construction task Amazon could put forth.
12. Unless I'm mistaken , there are more Fortune 500 Companies in Jax than any other Florida city.
13. No real competition here. If Amazon picked Jacksonville they would immediately be THE PLAYER in North East Florida, and perhaps
      the most important corporation in the state. That's a lot of power and influence and from here they could make a lot happen, with
      very little local interference. Politically, they could impact national and local elections if desired.

14. Be honest. Jax is pretty much a blank slate in it's current form. There are few cities this old with this much upside.
15. Besides Detroit, there is no place Amazon can go where the cost of operation is going to be lower than here. Quality real estate for
      this type of project is cheap and plentiful. Wages in Florida are lower than most of the competing areas. New Jersey? You'll have to
      pay double for each person so they can afford to live nearby. Not here. 

Add it all up.

WE WIN!!!! "

I mean every single point I made is in the video.  And I called the freakin Mayors office the day the RPF went public.   
You can thank me later

Screw it.  I'm not waiting.  THANKS, MUSICMAN!!!   

[Captain Zissou]

I don't doubt that's what the video said, I just don't think any of those reasons would appeal to amazon.  They aren't in the city building, airport expanding, football/golf sponsoring business. Jax is too much work and we don't have a large enough skilled labor pool.

[Captain Zissou]

Amazon could pretty much buy every vacant building downtown (over 50,000 sf) and completely revitalize Jax.

They could start with 233 West Duval, old JEA building, Vacant and 162,000 sf.

If Amazon came here the airport would have multiple International routes within a year.

You really don't get it.  Amazon isn't trying to take away from their core business to try to save a city... 

Here... Since you like to toot your own horn.  I also still agree with my points from back in the day.

[Dapperdan]

I am confused, isn't that the entire area Khan was going to revitalize as well? I thought they had an agreement with the city for the land already.

[Adam White]

They specifically mention a fleet of autonomous vehicles connecting the downtown campus and nearby neighborhoods.  I mention Musk because he is on the same level as Bezos in terms of 'visionary entrepreneur.'

There's a difference between mentioning the city's plans for autonomous vehicles and saying that Bezos can develop special vans he can sell to cities around the world.

The rest of your list was pretty much boilerplate.

[thelakelander]

I am confused, isn't that the entire area Khan was going to revitalize as well? I thought they had an agreement with the city for the land already.

Nothing has been finalized. They basically have an agreement to negotiate.

[MusicMan]

"And since you like to toot your own horn"........ More like a vuvuzela...

"There's a difference between mentioning the city's plans for autonomous vehicles and saying that Bezos can develop special vans he can sell to cities around the world.

The rest of your list was pretty much boilerplate."

I'll take that as a compliment!

The jist of my blogging on this is we are somewhat unique, have some well established enterprises already in town and yet still appear as having tremendous upside for a venture like this. 'Boilerplate' or not SOMEONE has to present JAX as a viable landing place for Amazon, and the video I think does a nice job of whetting the appetite for any decision maker at Amazon who had not previously considered it. I also insisted from the beginning that we had to submit something regardless of the chances at landing the gig, so that we would be better positioned to submit for anything similar in the future.

I do love the Tesla products and from my POV it appeared like a great opportunity for Bezos to partner with Tesla/Musk to develop a prototype all Electric, autonomous 15-20 passenger van that, if succesful here, could be put into service in pretty much any major city in the world.

And of course it's entirely possible Bezos would partner with another EV produces...... But with his R and D money he could probably deliver a great product no matter who he works with.

[KenFSU]

We don't have a large enough skilled labor pool.

Super important point here.

We can give away all the "shovel ready" (lol) land in the world to lure 50,000 jobs worth $100k apiece, but if we don't have the talent pool to fill even a fraction of those jobs competitively, Jacksonville probably doesn't make sense for Amazon.

Personally, I hate everything about the idea. Amazon's already got a long history of sucking their employees dry. Imagine what they'd do to Jacksonville if we literally, as the video suggests, give away our city to a corporation and "make Jacksonville and Amazon one."

It's a good video, but it almost comes across as parody.

Keep Jacksonville for the people, not beholden to a corporation.

[MusicMan]

"For the People"  Heh...   nice John Morgan reference there.......

[BenderRodriguez]

I am confused, isn't that the entire area Khan was going to revitalize as well? I thought they had an agreement with the city for the land already.

Nothing has been finalized. They basically have an agreement to negotiate.

This design looks eat into about 1/3 of the original Shipyards design. It also suggests filling the retention pond too. 

Furthermore, there should be a correction pertaining to our data access point status. JAX does not have a trans-Atlantic cable as the video suggests. Although there are two submarine cables. Those cables service Puerto Rico and South America, respectively.

Also, I think that we are highly undervaluing the potential of Craig Municipal Airport (CRG) and how it goes into this equation in relation to JAX Int'l Airport.

[ProjectMaximus]

Also, I think that we are highly undervaluing the potential of Craig Municipal Airport (CRG) and how it goes into this equation in relation to JAX Int'l Airport.

Very true. For Amazon's private shipping operations? Great point! Maybe Bezos might also be interested in Cecil Spaceport for his Blue Origin operations. hehe, ok getting carried away here. Maybe he'll even buy the Times-Union. And redevelop the land on Riverside Ave!!

Y'all can thank me later!! 

[Lostwave]

Personally, I hate everything about the idea. Amazon's already got a long history of sucking their employees dry. Imagine what they'd do to Jacksonville if we literally, as the video suggests, give away our city to a corporation and "make Jacksonville and Amazon one."

I think most of the complaining coming from amazon employees are the warehouse and logistics workers.  I have several friends who work in HQ1 and they love working for Amazon.