Amazon HQ2

[Spartan]

When are they supposed to announce finalists and/or the winner?

[EllAyyDub]

19 minutes ago, Spartan said:

When are they supposed to announce finalists and/or the winner?

Shortlist sometime in early 2018.  Charlotte Regional Partnership broke the story that they wouldn't be hearing this year: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/business/article186901093.html

[tarwater]

Why release a shortlist at all? To pressure the cities on it to offer up even more incentives?

[KJHburg]

1 hour ago, tarwater said:

Why release a shortlist at all? To pressure the cities on it to offer up even more incentives?

Of course then the real bidding starts as I have said before I okay if we get it and okay if we don't.  We are one of the fastest growing cities anyway as I have stated companies are holding back making decisions about move until Amazon announces theirs. 

[FLOSC843]

AJC article on Amazon placing  lobbyist in Georgia amid search for HQ2 home

https://www.myajc.com/business/economy/amazon-lobbyist-registers-georgia-triggering-buzz-amid-hq2-search/AAMpJ8udbssA2igIjSQCCO/

[CLT>___]

New thought - Jeff Bezos buys Carolina Panthers and picks Charlotte for HQ2

[KJHburg]

Wow Detroit and Michigan are throwing everything they have at Amazon for HQ2  and with a joint effort with Windsor Canada

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2017/12/21/hq2-what-detroit-has-for-amazon-that-dfw-does-not.html?ana=e_ae_set1&s=article_du&ed=2017-12-21&u=oAaDx%2B74FoP4qOJ%2By4AU6dhJPpc&t=1513890988&j=79379521

 

[J-Rob]

...but Detroit/Windsor can't throw an NFL team in for Bezos. 

 

LOL.  Actually, it sound like this local group with Felix Sabates is going to take a run at the Panthers, but the idea of Bezos buying Panthers and moving HQ2 here is still fun to entertain.

Edited December 21, 2017 by J-Rob

[CLT>___]

On 12/21/2017 at 4:43 PM, J-Rob said:

...but Detroit/Windsor can't throw an NFL team in for Bezos. 

 

LOL.  Actually, it sound like this local group with Felix Sabates is going to take a run at the Panthers, but the idea of Bezos buying Panthers and moving HQ2 here is still fun to entertain.

Panthers are a jungle cat.... amazon .... jungle ... idk there is something there lol. I am sure the smart marketers at Amazon could figure something out. Really though buying the panthers could be a cool way for amazon to make themselves a true part of the city when they move there new headquarters.

Imagine, they could offer free tickets to their employees it would be a big draw.

[Dale]

A customer of mine repeated the Bezos rumor today. He's definitely not an Urban Planet type, so it's out there.

[jednc]

Just now, Dale said:

A customer of mine repeated the Bezos rumor today. He's definitely not an Urban Planet type, so it's out there.

What Bezos rumor? That he might buy the Panthers? That's not a rumor. It was a suggestion and it was posted in the Charlotte Observer before I ever saw it on here. If you are referring to something else I'm all ears.

[Dale]

5 minutes ago, jednc said:

What Bezos rumor? That he might buy the Panthers? That's not a rumor. It was a suggestion and it was posted in the Charlotte Observer before I ever saw it on here. If you are referring to something else I'm all ears.

Nothing else. I thought it was wishful thinking from a poster on UP.

[jednc]

1 minute ago, Dale said:

Nothing else. I thought it was wishful thinking from a poster on UP.

Well, might be that too. Not sure how I'd feel about it. If it meant Amazon HQ2 here and the Panthers staying in Charlotte with a massive new dome to rival L.A. and all current PSL owners got to transfer to comparable seats in that new dome, I'd be all for it. Otherwise, I think I prefer local ownership.

[cltbwimob]

I've heard a Bezos rumor too (that he wants to buy the Panthers and rename BofA stadium to Amazon stadium), but admittedly it was something like 5th hand info so I don't really believe it.

Still it's kind of cool to think about.  What if the Panthers pending sale resulted in Bezos purchasing the team and then Amazon HQ2 ended up in Charlotte as well?  Charlotte's plight with respect to the Panthers saga would go from potentially $h!++y to glorious.

[tozmervo]

6 hours ago, Dale said:

A customer of mine repeated the Bezos rumor today. He's definitely not an Urban Planet type, so it's out there.

I'm pretty sure I saw it on r/charlotte, tol

[J-Rob]

I have generally been more excited than some about the mere possibility of HQ2, but this was a well done "cautionary tale" article.

https://amp-businessinsider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.businessinsider.com/amazon-hq-photo-tour-seattle-make-any-city-wary-of-amazon-hq2-2017-12

Hey, if Bezos wants to buy the Panthers, privately finance a new stadium, and move HQ2 here, then I am all for that trifecta; but short of that I hope we can land some smaller whales and increase the business diversity Uptown once the dust settles from HQ2.

[CLT>___]

12 minutes ago, J-Rob said:

I have generally been more excited than some about the mere possibility of HQ2, but this was a well done "cautionary tale" article.

https://amp-businessinsider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.businessinsider.com/amazon-hq-photo-tour-seattle-make-any-city-wary-of-amazon-hq2-2017-12

Hey, if Bezos wants to buy the Panthers, privately finance a new stadium, and move HQ2 here, then I am all for that trifecta; but short of that I hope we can land some smaller whales and increase the business diversity Uptown once the dust settles from HQ2.

As a home owner and person who directly benefits from the construction industry I have no reservations about bringing HQ2 to Charlotte. Having said that I do understand others concerns. 

To me uptown is basically a blank canvas. I do not believe there is much "character" to be ruined in uptown so I just want to see the city grow, especially vertically. 

One of the other point that was brought up is how having one company renting out the majority of space could effect a city, but we are kind of there now are we not? BofA must own a huge percentage of the office space in uptown, and among the major banks I would not be surprised if it accounted for nearly all of it.  

I think at this stage in our cities life Amazon would be a great addition as long as their presence does not drive out the banks and other major companies that currently call this city home. 

[Cadi40]

I would like to see a companies other than financial establishments have office in Uptown, So I think Amazon is the perfect match for that.

[SouthEndCLT811]

We're already a fit based on  a lime bike in front of HQ  

Edited January 5, 2018 by SouthEndCLT811

[kermit]

Somehow I missed this the first time around:

Not sure we can compete with that

 

Edited January 5, 2018 by kermit

[EllAyyDub]

5 hours ago, JSquare said:

One of the other point that was brought up is how having one company renting out the majority of space could effect a city, but we are kind of there now are we not? BofA must own a huge percentage of the office space in uptown, and among the major banks I would not be surprised if it accounted for nearly all of it.  

BofA, Wells & Duke combined only take up ~40% of office space in uptown currently I believe.

 

That said, I agree with all of your other points.

[CLT>___]

29 minutes ago, EllAyyDub said:

BofA, Wells & Duke combined only take up ~40% of office space in uptown currently I believe.

 

That said, I agree with all of your other points.

Really? Seems low but I do not have any better information, but even if you are right 40% by three companies 2 of which are banks is a large percentage. 

[15895]

1 minute ago, JSquare said:

Really? Seems low but I do not have any better information, but even if you are right 40% by three companies 2 of which are banks is a large percentage. 

 

I don’t see the point. It’s been very good to us even through the worst recession. 

 

[CLT>___]

10 minutes ago, AirNostrumMAD said:

 

I don’t see the point. It’s been very good to us even through the worst recession. 

Point was made by the article posted by J-Rob that having just a few companies rent out the majority of office space in a city could be bad :  https://amp-businessinsider-com.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/amp.businessinsider.com/amazon-hq-photo-tour-seattle-make-any-city-wary-of-amazon-hq2-2017-12

I was disagreeing with the point made by the article saying that having a large amount of office space rented by a small amount of companies could be a bad thing.  I think it has actually worked out very well for Charlotte. 

[stiluvclt]

I realize that every business publication has their favorite choice for HQ2 but I am damned if I can find any source outside of Charlotte that gives us a rat's chance of landing this gem. If anything at all holds us back it would be the lack of mass transportation. Not everyone wants to live along the BLE.