Thursday, September 14, 2017

Amazon has triggered a $5 billion bidding war — here are the cities that are in competition for its new HQ

Amazon has triggered a $5 billion bidding war — here are the cities that are in competition for its new HQ

Jeff BezosAmazon CEO Jeff Bezos.David Ryder/Getty
Amazon has sparked a bidding war, and it's only just beginning.
The e-commerce giant said on Thursday that it was soliciting bids from cities across North America for a place to build its second headquarters — its first outside of the Seattle area.
Amazon said it would invest $5 billion in the construction of its new headquarters, and it hopes to eventually house 50,000 Amazon staff members there, gradually building up its workforce.
"We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters," CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement. "Amazon HQ2 will bring billions of dollars in up-front and ongoing investments, and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. We're excited to find a second home."
Unsurprisingly, cities across the United States and Canada are jumping on the opportunity to lure Amazon to their neck of the woods. Many officials have already said they're planning to submit a formal proposal to the company.
Amazon has some requirements, however. Its new home would ideally be in a city with at least 1 million people, an international airport, and a "stable and business-friendly environment."
Of course, that means cities will need to offer incentives to the company for it to move there.
"Incentives offered by the state/province and local communities to offset initial capital outlay and ongoing operational costs will be significant factors in the decision-making process," the company said.
We've found nearly 50 cities whose officials have said they are looking into or preparing to submit a proposal to Amazon. Bids are due October 19.

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Chicago, Illinois

Chicago, Illinois
Shutterstock
According to the Chicago Tribune, Mayor Rahm Emanuel has already spoken to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos about the possibility of opening a headquarters in the city. Several other corporations — including McDonald's, Kraft Heinz, and Conagra Brands — have recently planned to move their base from the suburbs to this Midwestern hub.

Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota

Gov. Mark Dayton said in a statement that city and regional nonprofits and development agencies were working on a proposal for an Amazon headquarters in the Twin Cities.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto, Ontario
Akin Oyedele/Business Insider
Mayor John Tory called the race for the Amazon headquarters "the Olympics of bidding."
"We should be bidding for this and be very, very competitive, and I'm in the midst of talking to the other governments to make sure that's what we do," he said Thursday, according to The Toronto Star.

San Diego, California

San Diego, California
Courtesy of TripAdvisor
"San Diego has the geographic proximity to international markets, unparalleled quality of life and workforce talent that companies like Amazon are looking for, so Mayor Faulconer's office has directed the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corp. to coordinate a regional response," Matt Awbrey, Mayor Kevin Faulconer's deputy chief of staff, said in a statement, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas

Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas
Shutterstock
Mike Rosa, senior vice president for economic development of the Dallas Regional Chamber, told The Dallas Morning News that the group had "communicated to Amazon our intent to respond" to the call for proposals.

Denver, Colorado

Denver, Colorado
welcomia/Shutterstock
"This is a megaprospect, and we have already initiated conversations with our economic development partners at the state and regional level to thoroughly consider the best possible fit for Denver and the region," said Mayor Michael Hancock, according to The Denver Post.

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
ESB Professional/Shutterstock
"With an unmatched portfolio of technological talent and intriguing development parcels, Pittsburgh is uniquely positioned to submit a winning bid for Amazon's facility," Mayor Bill Peduto said, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Baltimore, Maryland

Baltimore, Maryland
Jon Bilous/Shutterstock
Both city and state officials expressed interest in petitioning Amazon for the headquarters opportunity. Mayor Catherine Pugh said the city would "pursue this opportunity aggressively," The Baltimore Sun reported.

Boston, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts
Roman Babakin/Shutterstock
State and local officials told The Boston Globe that they would put together a bid to make Boston the site of Amazon's new HQ. They said they would most likely use a revised version of the argument that lured GE to the city.
Pioneer Valley in western Massachusetts, which includes the city of Springfield, also said it was prepping a bid for Amazon's consideration.

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus, Ohio
f11photo/Shutterstock
The Columbus Dispatch reported that city officials were "in the hunt" for Amazon's HQ and would submit a bid.

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan
Rebecca Cook/Reuters
A spokesman for Mayor Mike Duggan said the city was evaluating the opportunity "carefully," and local real-estate magnates like Dan Gilbert have thrown their weight behind the idea.

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jessica Kourkounis/Getty Images
The City of Brotherly Love will be making a pitch to become Amazon's second home, according to local media.

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix, Arizona
Tim Roberts Photography/Shutterstock
The director of economic development for the city told the Phoenix Business Journal the region could be "very competitive" for the headquarters, though officials have not said definitively whether they will seek a bid.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver, British Columbia
Trans Canada Trail
Mayor Gregor Robertson tweeted that Amazon would be a "fantastic addition" to the city's "world-class innovation ecosystem."
City officials said they would put in a bid to Amazon.

Kentucky

A state official told Reuters that it planned to prepare a bid, though the official didn't specify a city.

Washington, DC

Washington, DC
Orhan Cam/Shutterstock
Officials said they would pursue the opportunity but stopped short of saying they would place a bid.
Brian Kenner, the deputy mayor for planning and economic development, said the city was "positioned to be a desirable location for Amazon's East Coast headquarters."
Yelp recently decided to move into the capital, and Bezos is renovating a mansion there.

Kansas City, Missouri

Tim Cowden, president of the Kansas City Area Development Council, said in a statement that the city would put together an "aggressive" proposal to submit to Amazon.

Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis, Tennessee
f11photo/Shutterstock
Mayor Jim Strickland tweeted his city's intention of making a bid, saying, "We're on it," and adding that the city "has so much to offer!"

Nashville, Tennessee

Nashville, Tennessee
f11photo/Shutterstock
Not to be outdone by Memphis, Mayor Megan Barry confirmed in a statement that the city would bid on the project.

Buffalo, New York

Mayor Byron Brown tweeted that he was "looking into this huge opportunity," and the county Legislature has already passed a resolution in support of the idea.

St. Louis, Missouri

St. Louis, Missouri
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Mayor Lyda Krewson said in a statement that the city would put together "a very competitive" proposal to host of Amazon's new headquarters.

Sacramento, California

"I have an answer for Amazon — Sacramento," Mayor Darrell Steinberg wrote in a statement, indicating the city would ready a bid before October 19.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Mayor Will Sessoms said the city was pursuing a proposal "at full speed."

Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon
tusharkoley/Shutterstock
"The city, the state, the region — it's fair to say everyone is extremely interested in this one," a spokesman for Portland's economic development agency told The Oregonian.

Edmonton, Alberta

Mayor Don Iveson called the prospect of Amazon moving into town a "tasty morsel," according to the Edmonton Journal.

Los Angeles, California

Los Angeles, California
Wikimedia Commons
"I welcome the opportunity to compete for this remarkable investment, and the tens of thousands of good-paying jobs it is sure to bring with it," Mayor Eric Garcetti said in his statement to the Los Angeles Times.

Calgary, Alberta

Calgary, Alberta
REUTERS/Andy Clark
"When you look at the criteria, I can't imagine a place that meets it better than Calgary," Mayor Naheed Nenshi said, according to the Calgary Herald. "I will be making that case strongly."

Arlington County, Virginia

Arlington County, Virginia
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
Outside of DC, in nearby Virginia, officials told local media the county "will be pursuing the opportunity," though they didn't discuss specific locations.

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Rudy Balasko/Shutterstock
"I'm proud to say Milwaukee meets all your requirements and even prouder to say our incredible renaissance would compliment your vision," Mayor Tom Barrett wrote in a letter to Bezos, describing the city's intent to place a bid.

New York, New York

New York, New York
Shutterstock
A representative for Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNBC, "We are very interested in the possibility of Amazon locating a headquarters in the five boroughs and believe the city's competitive advantages position it well."

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada
Steve Marcus/Reuters
"Our goal is to compete for projects on all levels," said Jonas Peterson, CEO of the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance. "We believe our community has a great product to offer headquarters-related projects."

Ottawa, Ontario

Ottawa, Ontario
Wikipedia Commons
"I've asked staff to review the application process with a view to being part of the competition," Mayor Jim Watson tweeted Thursday.

San Jose, California

San Jose, California
Getty/Justin Sullivan
Deputy City Manager Kim Walesh told the San Francisco Chronicle that her team was getting the proposal together, "but on the face of it, it is a pretty exciting opportunity."

San Antonio, Texas

San Antonio, Texas
iStock
Mayor Ron Nirenberg told CNBC: "We have the workforce, infrastructure, and quality of life that all major corporations look for in a location. In coordination with the San Antonio Economic Development Foundation, Team San Antonio is ready to show that our city is in the most competitive position possible when those opportunities arise and when they align with community priorities."

London, Ontario

London, Ontario
Wikipedia Commons
At least one city official thinks London would be a good fit for Amazon — Josh Morgan, the Ward 7 councillor, tweeted: "This opportunity has the potential to be transformational for the City of London and SW Ontario. I'll be raising it at Committee next week."

Wilmington, Delaware

John Rago, the mayor's deputy chief of staff for policy and communications, said the city was "on this big time," according to Technically Delaware.
He continued: "This is an exciting opportunity, and we are putting together a good case for why Amazon would find Wilmington to be a welcoming and supportive home for the company's headquarters."

Birmingham, Alabama

"We are very interested in Amazon, and we will be working with other organizations in making an effort to attract Amazon to this community," Mayor William Bell told AL.com.

Rhode Island

"Rhode Island is in the game," Matthew Sheaff, a spokesman for the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation, told the Providence Journal, adding that it was too early to tell which location the state would pitch to Amazon.

Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut
Sean Pavone/Shutterstock
"We plan to make a pitch to Amazon, and we plan to work with our partners around the region to do it," Mayor Luke Bronin said in a statement to NBC.

Houston, Texas

Houston, Texas
Shutterstock.com
"Houston is definitely interested in the Amazon HQ project and will look into the process of formally soliciting it," a city representative told the Houston Business Journal.

Albany, New York

Albany, New York
jiawangkun/Shutterstock
Marty Vanags, the president of the Saratoga County Prosperity Partnership, told the Albany Business Review that it would work with the Albany-based Center for Economic Growth "and others to develop a proposal for Amazon."
Saratoga County neighbors Albany. The capital region would need to bound together all nearby counties in its bid to meet Amazon's population requirement of 1 million.

Rochester, New York

Rochester, New York
Shutterstock
Rochester Chamber of Commerce CEO Bob Duffy has sent two letters to Bezos indicating the city will submit a proposal.

Cincinnati, Ohio

Cincinnati, Ohio
Shutterstock
Mayor John Cranley tweeted Thursday, "We are already working on our proposal."

Oakland, California

Oakland, California
Melia Robinson/Business Insider
Mayor Libby Schaaf told CNBC: "We're excited to explore the Amazon HQ2 project and the benefits it could bring to our community, as well as our region. At an estimated 50,000 employees, the project would have a profound impact on Bay Area residents, and in the midst of a statewide housing affordability crisis, we would need to address all outcomes a project of this magnitude would create."

Austin, Texas

The capital of Texas has thrown its hat in the ring.
"Definitely we want to compete, and compete hard and would like to win," Mike Rollins, president and CEO of Austin's chamber of commerce, told the Austin American-Statesman.

Tampa, Florida

Tampa, Florida
Shutterstock
"On a scale of 1 to 10, this is a 13 for us," Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corp. CEO Craig Richard told the Tampa Bay Times. "We have read Amazon's RFP [request for proposal] and it sounds like it was written for us."

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City, Utah
f11photo/Shutterstock
Utah isn't missing its shot to woo Amazon, either.
The Lt. Govenor of Utah, Spencer Cox, tweeted: "I can assure you that we are all over this."
He also joked: "I just asked Alexa to help us win the HQ2 bid, so I feel pretty good about our chances."

Tucson, Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
Shutterstock.com
Sun Corridor, an economic development agency working with state and local officials to submit a bid to Amazon, is sending a message to Bezos that he can't ignore.
Instead of sending a letter, though, they're sending the Amazon CEO a 21-foot saguaro cactus in an effort to grab his attention and get him to consider Tuscon, according to the Arizona Daily Star.

Wednesday, September 13, 2017

A Future of Abundance (Video)



A Future of Abundance

2013 ,

If you're feeling gloomy about the state of the world, you can turn to author Peter Diamandis for a jolting shot of optimism. As expressed in his book titled Abundance, he believes our modern technological revolution can help to fulfill all the essential needs of humanity around the globe. A Future of Abundance is a new documentary that explores Diamandis' uniquely hopeful perspective.
It's difficult to see the forest through the trees when we look around and witness a world in constant crisis. Whether we're observing the scourge of starvation, pollution, economic turmoil, environmental destruction, depleted energy resources or defective health care systems, the issues plaguing our global society seem apocalyptic and insurmountable.
Diamandis urges us to look closer. In his view, we already possess the tools to achieve a near utopian existence. The price of solar energy is rapidly diminishing, and could one day power the world at a very low cost. In the Sahara desert, sunlight and salt water are being converted to meet the region's demand for power, fresh food and clean water. These same elements can also be employed for similar projects in any of the world's most arid climates, including Australia and South Africa.
What if your preventative health care needs could be served with a simple device you use at home? Emerging technologies make it possible to track and diagnose health concerns without having to travel to the doctor's office. The impressive reach of the internet and crowd creation can assist the next generation of inventors, allow them to avoid the bureaucracy of corporate development and distribution, and bring more life-altering innovations to the masses with greater ease than ever before. Five billion users will be connected through the Internet by the year 2020, and the brightest minds among them will be able to share and build upon the most promising innovations of tomorrow. This free flow of ideas can inspire more effective and cost efficient solutions to a variety of pressing issues.
The documentary field is often mired in the morose and catastrophic, but A Future of Abundance celebrates a world of endless possibility.
Directed byMartijn Kieft

4.3%: UK unemployment falls to 42-year low

4.3%: UK unemployment falls to 42-year low

A worker stocks shelves at a Sainsbury's store in London, Britain October 11, 2016.A worker stocks shelves at a Sainsbury's store in London, Britain October 11, 2016. REUTERS/Neil Hall
LONDON – UK unemployment fell to its lowest level since 1975,according to data from the Office of National Statistics.
The unemployment rate fell to 4.3% in the three months to July, down from 4.4% in the previous quarter and 4.9% a year earlier.
The employment rate, which measures the proportion of people aged 16-64 in work, hit 75.3% – the highest since comparable records began in 1971.
In total, there are 32.1 million people at work in the UK, according to the figures, or 181,000 more than the previous quarter.
"Another record high employment rate and a record low inactivity rate suggest the labour market continues to be strong," Matt Hughes, a senior statistician at the ONS said.
"In particular, the number of people aged 16 to 64 not in the labour force because they are looking after family or home is the lowest since records began, at less than 2.1 million."
Here's the ONS' chart of unemployment over the longer term:
Screen Shot 2017 09 13 at 11.04.55ONS
And here's the picture for overall employment:
Screen Shot 2017 09 13 at 11.02.06ONS
Alongside the unemployment numbers, the ONS also said that wage growth was unchanged at 2.1%, as the UK's pay squeeze deepens. Real wage growth is falling, after inflation came in at 2.9%.
"Despite earnings rising by 2.1 per cent in cash terms over the last year, the real value of people’s earnings is down 0.4 per cent," Hughes said.
Here's the chart:
wages1ONS
The numbers will likely give the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee — which holds its September meeting on Wednesday, and will announce its policy decisions on Thursday — something of a headache, Rhys Herbert, a senior economist at Lloyds Bank said after the data's release.
"Today’s labour market data showed the now familiar combination of a seemingly tight labour market alongside still subdued earnings growth."
"The data leaves Bank of England interest rate setters with a dilemma going into tomorrow’s latest policy announcement. With headline inflation well above its target but domestic inflationary pressures seemingly still under control, most MPC members will probably content themselves for now with sounding some notes of caution rather than hiking interest rates."

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