After months spent deliberating which of the 20 finalist cities will host its second headquarters, Amazon appears to have made a decision. And it’s a surprise.
The e-commerce giant will split its planned $5 billion HQ2 between two cities, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal.
The offices will be the same size and both will employ up to 25,000 people each, the Journal reported.
The news comes just after reports that Amazon had narrowed its choices to Crystal City, Virginia; Dallas; and New York.
Amazon announced its plans to build a second headquarters last fall and attracted 238 proposals from around the country. The company said it would employ 50,000 people for the new HQ2, with a total investment of around $5 billion. The announcement set off speculation, analysis and predictions over where HQ2 would touch down, all of which has yet to subside. Some investors have made risky plays to try to cash in on the planned move, scooping up real estate where they think Amazon will eventually settle.
Since January, when Amazon narrowed the initial list of cities to 20, it hasn’t provided more information about its preferences. In addition to New York the finalists also include Los Angeles, Miami, and Chicago, among others.
Analysts say splitting the headquarters among two cities could ease potential housing, transit and infrastructure issues. [Wall Street Journal] — Dennis Lynch