Amazon reconsidering NY HQ after fierce opposition: report

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Chris Ciaccia | Fox News




Amazon is reconsidering opening part of its second headquarters in New York after fierce opposition from lawmakers, according to a new report.

The Washington Post, which is also owned by Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos, reported the Seattle-based tech giant is reconsidering the plan and has not leased or purchased any office space for the project. The report cited two people familiar with the company's thinking.

“The question is whether it’s worth it if the politicians in New York don’t want the project, especially with how people in Virginia and Nashville have been so welcoming,” one person familiar with the company’s plans told the Post.

Speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not at liberty to discuss the plans publicly, the people said Amazon executives have had discussions inside the company to reassess the situation in New York and explore other locales.

The Post added that no specific plans to abandon New York have been made and it's possible Amazon could use them as a threat to pressure New York lawmakers. According to a December Quinnipiac University poll, 57 percent of New York City residents support Amazon’s arrival in the region, compared to just 26 percent who oppose the deal, Fox Business reported.

Amazon did not immediately return a request for comment from Fox News.

Late last year, newly elected Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez railed against the company for getting tax breaks at a time when she bemoaned of crumbling infrastructure.

As part of the deal, Amazon would stand to receive "performance-based direct incentives of $1.525 billion" for creating the 25,000 jobs in Long Island City. Of this $1.525 billion, up to $1.2 billion could come from a refundable tax credit through New York State’s Excelsior Program and a $325 million cash grant from the Empire State Development fund. The company also said that it will "separately apply for as-of-right incentives including New York City’s Industrial & Commercial Abatement Program (ICAP) and New York City’s Relocation and Employment Assistance Program (REAP)."

Last month, New York City Council Speaker Corey Johnson said no one should assume it's a "done deal." "I don't think anyone should assume that this is a fait accompli, and that this is a done deal," Johnson told Business Insider. "This is the beginning of a process where the public and the City Council and other elected officials are going to continue to seek answers and understand whether or not this is a good deal for New York City, or if we got played."

Amazon has taken heat from a range of public officials, including the aforementioned Ocasio-Cortez, as well as state Sen. Michael Gianaris and New York City Councilman Jimmy Van Bramer.

A half dozen more hearings are scheduled for January through March in advance of a vote by the New York State Public Authorities Control Board, which according to state law has final say over the "approval of the financing and construction of any project proposed by state public benefit corporations."

Amazon said it would bring 25,000 full-time high-paying jobs, approximately $2.5 billion in Amazon investment and eventually 8 million square feet of office space to Long Island City as part of its investment announced in November. The Seattle-based company also said that it expects to generate "incremental tax revenue of more than $10 billion over the next 20 years as a result of Amazon’s investment and job creation."

The Post noted that Amazon's plan to put part of its second headquarters in Virginia, where it will receive up to $750 million in state subsidies, is not being reconsidered.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

By Chris Ciaccia | Fox News


Amazon announced Thursday it was turning back on its plans to build its second headquarters in New York City, a company spokesman said in a statement.

"After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens," the Seattle-based Amazon said in the release.

"For Amazon, the commitment to build a new headquarters requires positive, collaborative relationships with state and local elected officials who will be supportive over the long-term. While polls show that 70% of New Yorkers support our plans and investment, a number of state and local politicians have made it clear that they oppose our presence and will not work with us to build the type of relationships that are required to go forward with the project we and many others envisioned in Long Island City," the statement reads.

The company added that it is "disappointed to have reached this conclusion."

"We are deeply grateful to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and their staffs, who so enthusiastically and graciously invited us to build in New York City and supported us during the process," the company continued in the statement.

Amazon said it would proceed as planned with the second part of its HQ2, which will be built in Northern Virginia, as well as its distribution center that it said it would open in Nashville. It will also continue to "hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada."

New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had previously touted the deal's benefits, which include a pledge from Amazon to create 25,000 jobs, paying an average of $150,000 per year in exchange for a slew of city and state tax breaks and subsidies worth up to $3 billion.

[PorkChopSandwiches]

NY is great at driving away taxpayers and business

[DemonGeminiX]

NY doesn't want jobs. NY wants free shit, dammit!

[Teh One Who Knocks]

David Knowles, Editor - Yahoo News




Notch another victory for Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

The freshman Democratic representative celebrated online retailer Amazon’s decision Thursday to scrap its plans to build a new headquarters in her New York City district.

“I think it’s incredible,” Ocasio-Cortez responded when asked to comment on Amazon’s about-face. “It shows that everyday Americans still have the power to organize and fight for their communities and they can have more say in this country than richest man in the world.”

Earlier Thursday, the company announced it was reversing the plan, announced in November, to build new East Coast headquarters buildings in New York City and in Arlington, Virginia. The Virginia part of the plan will go ahead. The company said it would not look for a new location to replace the cancelled $2.5 billion project.

"After much thought and deliberation, we’ve decided not to move forward with our plans to build a headquarters for Amazon in Long Island City, Queens,” Amazon spokeswoman Jodi Seth said in a statement.

Ocasio-Cortez was one of the leaders of the fight against the proposed deal, largely over the $3 billion in tax breaks the city and state promised the company.

New York’s chronic shortage of housing and the overburdened mass transit system were also cited by opponents.

The deal would have meant an estimated 25,000 new jobs for the city.

“We were subsidizing those jobs,” Ocasio-Cortez said Thursday. “The city was paying for those jobs. Frankly if we were willing to give away $3 billion dollars for this deal, we could invest those $3 billion in our district, ourselves, if we wanted to. We could hire out more teachers. We can fix our subways. We can put a lot of people to work for that amount of money if we wanted to.”

Mayor Bill de Blasio, who partnered with Gov. Andrew Cuomo in hammering out the deal, issued a stinging statement over the company’s latest decision.

“You have to be tough to make it in New York City. We gave Amazon the opportunity to be a good neighbor and do business in the greatest city in the world. Instead of working with the community, Amazon threw away that opportunity,” de Blasio said in a statement. “We have the best talent in the world and every day we are growing a stronger and fairer economy for everyone. If Amazon can’t recognize what that’s worth, its competitors will.”

Rep. Carolyn Maloney, who represents New York’s 12th District, where the Amazon headquarters was slated for construction, expressed her disappointment

Cuomo was also disappointed, but he took out his anger on the legislators who worked to torpedo the deal.

“[A] small group [of] politicians put their own narrow political interests above their community — which poll after poll showed overwhelmingly supported bringing Amazon to Long Island City — the state's economic future and the best interests of the people of this state. The New York State Senate has done tremendous damage. They should be held accountable for this lost economic opportunity.”

[DemonGeminiX]

I hope this and all of the other shit that she's a part of comes back and bites her on the ass. She's a moron.

[Griffin]

David Knowles, Editor - Yahoo News

“The city was paying for those jobs. Frankly if we were willing to give away $3 billion dollars for this deal, we could invest those $3 billion in our district, ourselves, if we wanted to. We could hire out more teachers. We can fix our subways. We can put a lot of people to work for that amount of money if we wanted to.”

Does this stupid bimbo actually think there is $3 billion sitting in the bank waiting to be spent? She doesn't get that now they won't get any tax money from the deal.

[Pony]

Does this stupid bimbo actually think there is $3 billion sitting in the bank waiting to be spent? She doesn't get that now they won't get any tax money from the deal.

Yes. This is not the first time she has made similar comments showing how ignorant she really is on how the economy works. I believe last time it was about accounting errors in the millions of dollars. She wanted to spend money that never really existed except on an accountants computer.

[Griffin]

The only spreadsheet she truly knows anything about is stretched on a king size mattress.

[Teh One Who Knocks]

Does this stupid bimbo actually think there is $3 billion sitting in the bank waiting to be spent? She doesn't get that now they won't get any tax money from the deal.

You mean tax credits aren't the same as stacks of money?

[RBP]

Does this stupid bimbo actually think there is $3 billion sitting in the bank waiting to be spent? She doesn't get that now they won't get any tax money from the deal.

She has a degree in economics.

More like, “I’d like to order 25 pizzas. I made up this $300-off coupon + demand you take it, and if you want to talk about it at all I’ll leave.”

Queens: Where did this coupon come from? $300 is too much. Who gave this to you? This is weird.

Them: I TOLD YOU $300 OFF 25 PIZZAS https://t.co/nPfQAssYnC

— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) February 15, 2019

[lost in melb.]

The other side I read is that there isn't a 'jobs problem' in that area, rather a housing shortage.

[RBP]

The other side I read is that there isn't a 'jobs problem' in that area, rather a housing shortage.

As a reason to push AMZ out? I am sure developers were drooling at the housing projects.

[DemonGeminiX]

The other side I read is that there isn't a 'jobs problem' in that area, rather a housing shortage.

I doubt they have anything as big as Amazon in that area. Big business moving into an area brings big opportunities for more businesses from many different walks to follow suit. Like RBP said, housing developers would move in, which would also gives the area more revenue in taxes and utilities. Current businesses would get more business from new customers that come to work for Amazon from somewhere else. Other businesses that want to work with Amazon may set up shop there, providing more jobs to the area. Current businesses that are already located there that want to work with Amazon may get a shot in the arm, if needed...

[RBP]

And other tech companies that want to ride the AMZ coattails as well. The deal included massive infrastructure improvements, by the way, badly needed for the horrid commutes of the working class folks that can't afford to live in the places they work.

When you're a "progressive" and every contributor on Morning Joe (MSNBC) is pissed and calling you an idiot, you know you fucked up.

The video is in this article, I could figure out an embed. It's awesome. https://www.mediaite.com/tv/morning-...e-understands/