Internet retailer and technology company Amazon announced earlier this month its plans to build a second headquarters in North America, which has sparked interest from jurisdictions across the metropolitan Washington region. Amazon says the second headquarters—known as HQ2—could employ up to 50,000 people with high-paying jobs and generate tens of billions of dollars in additional investment in the surrounding community.
According to its request for proposal in choosing the location for HQ2, Amazon has a preference for:
- Metropolitan areas with more than one million people
- A stable and business-friendly environment
- Urban or suburban locations with the potential to attract and retain strong technical talent
- Communities that think big and creatively when considering locations and real estate options
At its September 2017 meeting, the COG Board of Directors authorized COG’s executive director and staff to work with local city and county managers to explore opportunities for regional coordination related to Amazon’s request for proposal. Following the board meeting, COG has been working with city and county managers. The deadline for submissions to Amazon is October 19.
More: D.C. as region will now — to a point — stake a claim for Amazon's HQ2 (Washington Business Journal)