Amazon’s search for an 8-million-square-foot second headquarters came in closer focus with the online shopping giant’s release of the 20 cities and metro areas still in the running. And Boston is one of them.
The Seattle e-commerce leader narrowed its list of potential host cities from the original round of 238 submissions to a short list, primarily large East Coast metro areas including New York City, Philadelphia and Miami.
Amazon said it needs up to 8 million square feet of office space for 50,000 employees including a 500,000-square-foot office building completed in 2019 in the initial phase. It also encouraged cities to pitch development sites of at least 100 acres.
That played into Boston and Revere’s focus on the 161-acre Suffolk Downs racetrack property, acquired last year by Boston-based HYM Investment Group, as the favored local site. HYM has submitted plans for 16.5 million square feet of development in the property, including a “pro-commercial” option including 8 million square feet of office space.
Boston and Revere did not include financial incentives in their initial submissions, but other cities have been aggressive in trying to lure Amazon with generous tax breaks. Newark officials and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pitched $7 billion in state and local tax incentives, tied to Amazon hitting its stated job creation targets.
Amazon’s imminent expansion in Boston’s Fort Point and current search for up to 1 million square feet of office space in the Seaport District have been viewed as signs that the $136 billion company sees an advantage in the region’s pool of tech workers and startup economy.
The Washington, D.C. metro area, where Amazon CEO and Washington Post owner Jeff Bezos bought a 27,000-square-foot home last year, is well-represented among the semi-finalists; Maryland’s Montgomery County, Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C. all survived the first round.
Of the 10 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S., only Houston failed to move on to the current round. Los Angeles is the only West Coast city on the list, and Toronto the only non-U.S. city.
