Amazon’s decision to build a second headquarter has resulted in a bidding frenzy, with the company amassing 238 proposals.
Bidders for the project come from at least 43 states, with the Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia also showing interest. Three Mexican states and seven Canadian provinces also tendered their bid. Selection for Amazon’s second headquarters campus (HQ2) will be made next year.
Amazon has set some pretty high standards for the project though. The company described their ideal location to be in a city with at least a million citizens and is near an international airport. The location should also have an environment that’s stable and business-friendly.
The promise that the winning state’s local economy will receive a major boost and secure as much as 50,000 high-paying jobs have pushed city administrators to put on their thinking caps. The submitted video proposals range from the creatively brilliant to the downright strange but inventive. Here are some of the more memorable ones:
Talent and Diversity in Philly
There’s no denying that Philadelphia is one of the most diverse regions and the city is proud of it. Its proposal to Amazon definitely shows this as its pitch focused on the city’s deep cultural diversity. The clip also aimed for a human element as it showcased vital business and community leaders to emphasize local talent.
Vibrant Las Vegas
The city’s 5-minute pitch is the longest video proposal Amazon has received. It comes as no surprise though as Las Vegas boasts of a dizzying range of industries and activities. The resulting proposal is an overwhelming barrage of facts and videos crammed in one clip.
Moving to Detroit
Detroit’s Move Here pitch is one of the more compelling proposals of the lot. The video’s clean and crisp visuals and lyrical narration tugs at the heartstrings and celebrate the city’s tenacity in climbing back to greatness.
It’s the Bottom Line for Boston
No one can claim to be surprised that Boston opted to forgo the frills and just state the facts. The city’s video pitch emphasized how the region’s infrastructure would be beneficial to Amazon. The sleek but short clip underlined key points like the city’s public transportation and tracts of open land.
Forging Ahead in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is another city that opted to go for realism and facts instead of flowery statements and visuals. The city’s video pitch highlighted Pennsylvania’s tenacity and strength, which can be seen in its companies to its workers. The short clip unabashedly admits to the city falling on hard times and how it’s now clawing back up, thanks to technology. It’s a move and a mindset that the e-commerce icon would no doubt appreciate.
Arizona’s Prickly Proposal
Of course, there was no dearth of bewildering proposals as well. Tucson decided that the best way to capture Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ attention was to go big. It did so by sending Amazon a 21-foot saguaro cactus. A representative of Arizona’s main economic agency, Sun Corridor, explained the massive cactus was a symbol of the long-term growth the company can enjoy if it chooses to build HQ2 in the state.
.@amazon rejects Tucson’s cactus gift. What will Vegas send to lure the company’s 2nd headquarters? I ask the @mayoroflasvegas at 7 & 8 am pic.twitter.com/AuyT34IhcS
— Mike Doria (@MikeDoria) September 28, 2017
A City Called Amazon
Stonecrest, Georgia is pulling all stops in its bid to convince the company to build HQ2 in the area. Stonecrest doesn’t meet one of the company’s key requirement – that of having more than a million citizens – but it’s not letting that detail stop it. Stonecrest’s City Council is hoping that the idea of renaming 345 acres of de-annexed land Amazon would be enough to catch Bezos’ interest.
Amazon, GA? This new city could land on a map near you if the City of Stonecrest wins its bid for Amazon’s HQ2. @FOX5Atlanta pic.twitter.com/8GJl9xhv9T
— Claire Simms (@Claire_FOX5) October 4, 2017
It’s not surprising that cities are thinking outside the box. After all, Amazon will be investing $5 billion outright in the design and construction of its new headquarters. There’s also the possibility that the region will see the influx of tens of thousands of staff members. The company would also build its workforce from the area itself, a move that will provide employment opportunities for countless people.
[Featured image via Amazon]