HQ 2 coming to you? South Florida’s latest update on Amazon’s next big thing
This is one of my daily important stories and my take on it. From CNBC, These cities are finishing strong as Amazon narrows choice for new headquarters.
Excerpt: Amazon could narrow the finalists as soon as this month for the new headquarters and the 50,000 jobs it says will go with it.
Data from CNBC's latest study on competitiveness suggests Austin and Dallas could have a strong shot at Amazon's $5 billion project.
Atlanta, Boston, Denver, Miami, Nashville and Northern Virginia are also strong contenders.
MIAMI (metro)
Overall Grade: B+
If Amazon is serious about expanding its presence in Latin America—it already opened a new office in Buenos Aires this year—a Miami headquarters makes perfect sense. Few places offer more air travel options, with hundreds of flights each day from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. A wealth of colleges and universities feed the talent pool, though STEM workers are in short supply. Florida's economy is relatively strong and stable. But high crime and poor health hurt the quality of life.
Population: A+
Stability: B+
Talent: C+
Location: B+
My take: The wild card here is also the guy at the top. While Jeff Bezos has been synonymous with Seattle for over twenty years, his story actually started here. Jeff Bezos attended the University of Miami and is well aware of what South Florida has to offer. As a reminder, there was a collective bid placed by South Florida with numerous potential locations for HQ2 ranging from West Palm Beach to Miami. If we’re having the conversation about which of those sites it’s going to be, there’s already a lot to be celebrating.
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