SEATTLE — Amazon has announced plans to open a second headquarters in North America that will employ as many as 50,000 workers.

The company announced Thursday that it is searching for a city to host the new “HQ2” facility that will cost at least $5 billion to construct and operate.

“We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said. “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.”

Amazon said it would prefer to open the headquarters in a suburban or urban area with more than 1 million people. It’s looking for a community that “thinks big” and a location that will attract technical talent.

Amazon has started hiring 1,000 workers for a new fulfillment center in Aurora.

And in June, the company announced it will build another facility in Thornton that will handle smaller items, and use robots to help pick and pack items.

The 2.4-million-square-foot center will create 1,500 full-time jobs and open in August.

The company said while it would hire teams and executives for the new location, employees who currently work in Seattle would be offered the chance to relocate.

Cities and regional economic development organizations have been invited to submit proposals, and they will likely scramble to offer incentives and tax breaks for Amazon to consider their area.

Amazon estimates its investments in Seattle from 2010 to 2016 added $38 billion to the city’s economy.

These investments include buildings, parks and infrastructure, such as corporate offices and Prime Now delivery sites.

Its headquarters in Seattle boasts 33 buildings and 24 restaurants or cafes. It covers 8.1 million square feet.

The announcement of Amazon’s second headquarters is a part of a larger effort from Amazon to grow its footprint at home and abroad.

In January, the company announced plans to create over 100,000 new full-time jobs in the U.S. It’s been steadily announcing new fulfillment centers.

Amazon also recently closed its $13.7 billion deal to buy Whole Foods as it expands into the groceries market and brick-and-mortar stores.

Meanwhile, it will start selling its branded smart home devices at Amazon bookstores and retailers like Kohl’s soon. </s> Amazon planning second headquarters in North America, to create up to 50,000 jobs

Amazon.com Inc (AMZN.O) said on Thursday it was searching for a location to build its second headquarters in North America that would cost more than US$5 billion and house up to 50,000 staff.

The e-commerce company, which is headquartered in Seattle, said it was seeking proposals from local and state government leaders and would select the location next year.

Amazon's workforce has exploded to more than 380,000 from under 25,000 since it moved to Seattle in 2010, as it rapidly expanded to become a global retailer - selling everything from groceries to appliances.

The company's total revenue has grown to US$136 billion at the end of last year from US$34 billion in 2010. Amazon recently snatched up Whole Foods Market for US$13.7 billion.

Amazon said the new headquarters should ideally be located in a metropolitan area with more than one million people, potentially giving the company a shopping list of more than 50 cities to choose from.

The project would initially need more than 500,000 square feet and up to 8 million square feet beyond 2027, Amazon said.

"We want to find a city that is excited to work with us and where our customers, employees, and the community can all benefit," Amazon said.

Amazon is looking for a favorable tax structure and local government subsidies, incentives that have attracted other companies like Taiwan-based Foxconn to build facilities in the United States.

Foxconn plans to build a US$10 billion liquid crystal display factory in Wisconsin. The state's Republican-controlled government had voted to approve a bill aimed at establishing a US$3 billion incentive package for the plant.

Amazon expects the new headquarters to be a "full equal" to its Seattle office, Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in a statement.

The Seattle campus is spread across 8.1 million square feet in 33 buildings and employs more than 40,000 people.

Amazon's shares were up 1 per cent at US$978 on Thursday morning. </s> Amazon.com Inc. is in the market for a second home.

The Seattle-based online retailer said Thursday it plans to open a second headquarters somewhere in North America that will house up to 50,000 employees and cost $5 billion to build and operate. </s> Amazon.com Inc. is in the market for a second home.

The Seattle-based online retailer said Thursday it plans to open a second headquarters somewhere in North America that will house up to 50,000 employees and cost $5 billion to build and operate.

The company is soliciting bids for the project, dubbed Amazon's "HQ2," and said it would prioritize metropolitan areas with more than one million people.

"We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters," Amazon's Chief Executive Jeff Bezos said in prepared remarks. "Amazon HQ2 will bring billions of dollars in upfront and ongoing investments, and tens of thousands of high-paying jobs. We're excited to find a second home."

Amazon estimates that its existing Seattle headquarters, which opened in 2010, has brought an additional $38 billion in investments to the local economy.

Existing senior leaders will get to choose whether they locate their teams in the Seattle headquarters, HQ2 or both, the company said. </s> Amazon said Thursday it decided to cancel its plans to build a new major campus in New York City.

Following a yearlong, public search for a new second headquarters dubbed HQ2, Amazon in November announced plans to build two 25,000-employee campuses, one in Long Island City, Queens, in New York, and another in Arlington, Virginia. Both locations were selected from over 200 bidders and were expected to receive $2.5 billion in investments from the e-commerce giant. Nashville was also selected to host a new 5,000-person "center of excellence."

But, the New York City campus received quick and persistent criticism from local union supporters, the New York City Council and a number of elected officials, including state Sen. Michael Gianaris, who represents Queens, and US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

"We do not intend to reopen the HQ2 search at this time," Amazon said Thursday. "We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada."

Several protests were staged against the planned campus and Amazon executives faced withering criticism during two City Council meetings, in which council members pilloried the company for its mostly non-union workforce and alleged work with US Immigration and Custom Enforcement. Amazon's incentives package of about $3 billion was also a major concern, especially because of the company's massive size and its CEO Jeff Bezos' perch as the world's richest person.

"Rather than addressing the legitimate concerns that have been raised by many New Yorkers, Amazon says you do it our way or not at all, we will not even consider the concerns of New Yorkers – that's not what a responsible business would do," Chelsea Connor, director of communications for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, said in a statement Thursday.

The union has been a frequent critic of Amazon's working conditions and has partnered with Amazon warehouse workers in Staten Island in their push to unionize.

Despite loud opposition to the plan, the company as recently as Friday said it was "focused on engaging with our new neighbors" on the project. A Quinnipiac poll from December also showed strong support for the new campus, with 60 percent of Queens residents approving of the project and 26 percent against it.

The company also received strong backing from New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New York Mayor Bill de Blasio, who pushed to get the highly coveted project. James Patchett, head of the New York City Economic Development Corp., also repeatedly argued for the massive benefits of the HQ2 project during the heated council meetings, saying it would protect New York from future recessions and be a boon for its development as a tech hub.

Here is the company's full 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. 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. We are disappointed to have reached this conclusion—we love New York, its incomparable dynamism, people, and culture—and particularly the community of Long Island City, where we have gotten to know so many optimistic, forward-leaning community leaders, small business owners, and residents. There are currently over 5,000 Amazon employees in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Staten Island, and we plan to continue growing these teams. 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. Governor Cuomo and Mayor de Blasio have worked tirelessly on behalf of New Yorkers to encourage local investment and job creation, and we can't speak positively enough about all their efforts. The steadfast commitment and dedication that these leaders have demonstrated to the communities they represent inspired us from the very beginning and is one of the big reasons our decision was so difficult. We do not intend to reopen the HQ2 search at this time. We will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada. Thank you again to Governor Cuomo, Mayor de Blasio, and the many other community leaders and residents who welcomed our plans and supported us along the way. We hope to have future chances to collaborate as we continue to build our presence in New York over time. </s> (USA TODAY) -- Seattle-based online retailer Amazon.com announced Thursday that it is seeking a second North American headquarters with up to 50,000 jobs.

In a statement, the company founded and run by billionaire Jeff Bezos said its "HQ2" would cost about $5 billion to build and operate.

The company, which is currently soliciting bids for the project, said it would prioritize metropolitan areas with more than one million people and that it was encouraging interested communities to think "big" and "creatively" about possible locations.

Amazon said HQ2 will be a complete headquarters for Amazon — not a satellite office. It said it expects to hire new teams and executives in HQ2, and will also let existing senior leaders across the company decide whether to locate their teams.

Employees currently working in HQ1 can choose to continue working there, or they could have an opportunity to move if they would prefer to be located in HQ2, it said.

"We expect HQ2 to be a full equal to our Seattle headquarters," Bezos said.

"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."

Amazon estimated that its investments in Seattle from 2010 through 2016 resulted in an additional $38 billion to the city’s economy.

Lately, Amazon has not been shy about investing beyond its Seattle hub. On Wednesday, the e-retailer announced plans to establish Amazon "experiences" next month inside ten Kohl's locations in Los Angeles and Chicago.

Back in June, the e-retailer spent $13.7 billion to acquire Whole Foods, which has 450 stores across the U.S. and will begin setting up Amazon Lockers in some locations where customers can pick up online orders.

Expanding on its brick-and-mortar presence, Amazon has eight bookstores across the U.S., with the most recent openings in New York, Lynnfield, Mass., and Paramus, N.J., and New York with five more expected to open soon.

In January, Amazon pledged to add 100,000 new full-time U.S. jobs by mid-2018, many of them at fulfillment centers, including ones being built in California, Florida, New Jersey and Texas. Last month, Amazon held job fairs at 10 U.S. sites to fill more than 50,000 jobs.

This new second headquarters will likely be well situated within Amazon's increasingly sophisticated logistics and delivery system, which uses its own growing fleet of cargo planes along with its fulfillment centers.

© Gannett Co., Inc. 2017. All Rights Reserved </s> Amazon announced today that it will not open a second corporate headquarters in New York but is still moving forward with plans for Arlington, Virginia.

“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 stated in a press 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.”

In the process of searching for its HQ2 location, Amazon said it would invest $5 billion USD ($6.62 billion CAD) and create approximately 50,000 jobs. Amazon was expected to receive up to $1.2 billion USD ($1.59 billion CAD) in tax credits through New York State’s ‘Excelsior’ program, as well as an additional $325 million USD ($430.55 million CAD) as a cash grant from the ‘Empire State Development’ fund.

Toronto Mayor John Tory recently stated that he’s open to Amazon opening HQ2 in Toronto.

“I’ll just say I’ve communicated with the people of Amazon that we’re still here, they know that,” he stated. “My message to them has continuously been we’d be delighted to have any aspect of Amazon’s operations here including part of their head office.”

Toronto was one of the 20 finalists selected for consideration for Amazon’s second headquarters but eventually came up short.

Amazon says it doesn’t intend to re-open the HQ2 search at this time, noting, “we will proceed as planned in Northern Virginia and Nashville, and we will continue to hire and grow across our 17 corporate offices and tech hubs in the U.S. and Canada.” </s> SEATTLE -- Amazon has opened the search for a second headquarters, promising to spend more than $5 billion on whatever site it chooses in North America.

Founder and CEO Jeff Bezos said Thursday that the new headquarters will be "a full equal" to its Seattle counterpart with as many as 50,000 jobs.

The announcement is certain to create a scramble among cities and states vying to make the short list. The company estimates that investments in Seattle between 2010 and 2016 added $38 billion to the city's economy.

There are 24 restaurants and cafes within Amazon's Seattle campus alone, where more than 20,000 people are employed. The increase in personal income around the Seattle headquarters for people not employed by Amazon increased by about $17 billion due to direct investments, according to the company.

The company gave few hints about where it would land, but did say it is looking at metropolitan areas with populations of more than a million that have the potential to attract top technical talent.

Amazon will hire thousands of new workers, but also said that people working at its Seattle headquarters will have the option of seeking a spot at the new site.

Cities and states are being advised by Amazon.com Inc. to visit www.amazon.com/amazonHQ2 for more information. </s> In 2017 Amazon.com announced it was seeking a second North American headquarters which, once built out, will employ up to 50,000 high tech workers. This set off a race among big cities eager to house the world's most valuable company and its well-paid employees.

The Seattle-based online retailer founded and run by billionaire Jeff Bezos, the world's richest man, said its "HQ2" would result in close to $5 billion in investment in the chosen city.

The company said it would prioritize metropolitan areas with more than one million people and that it was encouraging interested communities to think "big" and "creatively" about possible locations.

Amazon founded in Bellevue, Washington. Later that year the small company moves to an office in Seattle.

Amazon has an estimated 10,000 employees in Seattle.

Amazon announces it is searching for a second headquarters, one that will be co-equal to its Seattle home. It posts a Request for Proposal outlining what information it requires from cities that want to be considered.

At the time, Amazon was estimated to have about 40,000 employees in Seattle. The company occupied 19% of all prime office space in the city, according to an analysis by the Seattle Times.

Deadline for cities to submit their applications. In all, 238 proposals were received, from across the United States and Canada.

Shortlist of 20 finalists announced. The cities are:

Amazon teams visit all 20 cities/areas, a process that the company — and the cities — largely keep under wraps.

Speaking at the Economic Club of Washington D.C., Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said that the company will announce a decision before the end of the year.

After it became clear finding a city that could lure 50,000 highly-paid tech workers wasn't as easy as it had thought, Amazon pivots and instead decides to add two new headquarters instead of one. The two cities to be chosen aren't named, but Northern Virginia and New York City are at the top of most lists.

Multiple media reports claim Amazon has chosen New York City and Crystal City, Virginia, as the destinations for its next headquarters.

Last day for Amazon to announce its decision.
Amazon.com announces bidding for a second headquarters campus in North America, to house 50,000 workers and cost $5 billion USD (The New York Times)