Mark Lennihan, AP Photo
Amazon is nearing a decision on its second headquarters location — and it might choose two locations, instead of one. The online retail giant sparked some pretty aggressive campaigning on the part of 238 communities eager to lure Amazons HQ2, with its promise of 50,000 jobs and $5 billion in regional investment. The Seattle-based company winnowed the list of finalists to 20 cities earlier this year.
Now, Amazon is considering building two equal offices for HQ2, the Wall Street Journal reports, as the company seeks to attract some of the best tech talent. The company reportedly is in advanced discussions with Crystal City in Northern Virginia, Dallas and New York City, the Journal reports.
The tightening labor market has intensified competition for top talent, creating an impetus for Amazon to look beyond the boomtown of Seattle in its search for software engineers, cloud-computing experts and machine learning gurus.
Building a substantial presence in new places allows Amazon to tap into the regional talent pool, and hire employees who may not want to relocate.
Crystal City appears to be a front-runner to take one of the two final positions, the Journal reports. Its close to Washington, D.C., and offers good access to tech talent and transportation.
Another top contender is Dallas, which has a lower cost of living and proposed incentives such as tax abatements and grants, according to the Journal. Texas doesnt collect personal income taxes, which might make it easier to encourage workers to relocate.
New York also is believed to be in the running, in a neighborhood that borders the East River overlooking Manhattan that is popular with young professionals.
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