Amazon $5 bil co-HQ's in play

[ProjectMaximus]

Does anybody have a bizjournal subscription that can add some insight? I just realized mine has expired and I don't plan to renew.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/12/06/hq2-on-the-river-downtown-momentum-and-barnett.html

https://www-bizjournals-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2017/09/11/amazon-picks-atlanta-for-new-logistics-hub-locates.amp.html

^This is what JAX should've tried to make happen. Not a pie-in-the-sky $5billion tax break long-shot. It's the many medium to small build-ups over time that grow cities evenly and attract the big dogs. No outrageous public competition needed. Also, with the fact that the city has, almost, direct access to a submarine data cable servicing multiple countries further pushes the notion that we should be trying to shoot for parts of the beast such as AWS and not necessarily the whole enchilada.

Amazon literally just added 3000+ jobs to the local economy. Thats more than good enough for a starting point to grow those employment numbers over a given time with an entity as large and diversified as Amazon.

I'm sure they were trying. And it's not like Jax hasn't been getting its base hits with smaller Amazon facilities. 5000 jobs from the two fulfillment centers that just opened and there was speculation on two other sites that might be Amazon.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/amazon-plans-to-create-5-000-jacksonville-jobs

[TimmyB]

Does anybody have a bizjournal subscription that can add some insight? I just realized mine has expired and I don't plan to renew.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/12/06/hq2-on-the-river-downtown-momentum-and-barnett.html

I'd love to have those jobs come to JAX but good lord, Atlantic Station?   That is a congested, traffic-cluster of retail.  I mean, I'm envisioning putting it in the middle of SJTC on Black Friday.  Why would they pick this place out of all the places in Atlanta that they could have chosen?

[JBTripper]

Does anybody have a bizjournal subscription that can add some insight? I just realized mine has expired and I don't plan to renew.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/12/06/hq2-on-the-river-downtown-momentum-and-barnett.html

I'd love to have those jobs come to JAX but good lord, Atlantic Station?   That is a congested, traffic-cluster of retail.  I mean, I'm envisioning putting it in the middle of SJTC on Black Friday.  Why would they pick this place out of all the places in Atlanta that they could have chosen?

Easy access to Interstate, rail, and air infrastructure, as well as proximity to talent, among other things. Probably.

Almost any place in Atlanta could be compared to the Town Center on Black Friday, so it's evidently not much of a hurdle for Porche, Mercedes, Amazon or any of the other major employers who have chosen to establish a significant presence in Atlanta in the last 10 years.

[TimmyB]

Does anybody have a bizjournal subscription that can add some insight? I just realized mine has expired and I don't plan to renew.

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/12/06/hq2-on-the-river-downtown-momentum-and-barnett.html

I'd love to have those jobs come to JAX but good lord, Atlantic Station?   That is a congested, traffic-cluster of retail.  I mean, I'm envisioning putting it in the middle of SJTC on Black Friday.  Why would they pick this place out of all the places in Atlanta that they could have chosen?

Easy access to Interstate, rail, and air infrastructure, as well as proximity to talent, among other things. Probably.

Almost any place in Atlanta could be compared to the Town Center on Black Friday, so it's evidently not much of a hurdle for Porche, Mercedes, Amazon or any of the other major employers who have chosen to establish a significant presence in Atlanta in the last 10 years.

Porsche is right next to ATL.  MB is out in Dunwoody, right on 285.  Those both make sense, to me.  FAR more than putting Amazon into Atlantic Station.  I don't question them being in Atlanta.  I would want to be there, as well, with all that it has going for it.  But, as I was saying, NOT in the middle of a retail zone.

[martt12]

So this is the pitch location. I kind of figured.  I see there's a covered stadium in the plan as well.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-offers-downtown-site-for-amazon-hq2

[martt12]

Video here:

https://www.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/news/2017/12/14/jacksonville-unveils-pitch-video-for-amazons-hq2.html

[marcuscnelson]

So this is the pitch location. I kind of figured.  I see there's a covered stadium in the plan as well.

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/article/city-offers-downtown-site-for-amazon-hq2

Found a working link:

https://www.jaxdailyrecord.com/video/city-offers-200-acres-downtown-for-amazon-hq2

Personally, I think it looks interesting.

Not sure why the stadiums have those weird... covers? but otherwise the idea of so massively expanding downtown is intriguing, provided that growth could be maintained and connected to our existing urban core.

[BenderRodriguez]

Pure YouTube link, just in case:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmsTkC8jIQI

[ProjectMaximus]

Thanks martt and bender for sharing.

So...."shovel-ready site" means it's ready for remediation? I actually think the video is quite good. Informative, straightforward, not too cheesy...I've seen some much worse HQ2 pitch videos and some about the same quality...nothing significantly more impressive.

[thelakelander]

Don't get your hopes up but nice video.

[CityLife]

Agreed. Nice job by the City putting that together.

Like I said earlier in the thread, even if the City doesn't get it, it is still a great free PR opportunity. If Jax can somehow make it onto a shortlist of finalists, it will put the City on a lot of corporate and development radars.

[MusicMan]

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

[Adam White]

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

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

I need to watch the video again - I don't remember mention of Elon Musk.

[MusicMan]

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.'

[jaxjags]

Love the use of JAX. Becoming more popular.