Philadelphia, Pennsylvania — Three sites that would collectively span 28 million square feet
In Amazon's requirements for cities, the company said it is looking for existing buildings of at least 500,000 square feet and total site space of up to 8 million square feet.
Philadelphia would have that covered. Its officials are proposing three sites to Amazon, which would collectively span an estimated 28 million square feet throughout the city, The Philly Inquirer reports.
The unfinished developments — Schuylkill Yards, uCity Square, and Navy Yard — already include millions of square feet of offices, retail, transit lines, and residential spaces.
Stonecrest, Georgia — A proposal to rename itself after Amazon
The Georgian town of Stonecrest is pledging to rename itself "the city of Amazon" if the company chose it for HQ2, local outlet Atlanta Journal Constitution reports.
In early October, Stonecrest's city council voted 4 to 2 in favor of the name change. The town would also devote 345 acres to the campus.
"There are several major US cities that want Amazon, but none has the branding opportunity we are now offering this visionary company," Stonecrest Mayor Jason Lary told AJC.
Frisco, Texas — An offer to build the rest of its city around Amazon
Frisco, Texas is proposing turning its small city essentially into a company town, dominated by Amazon. It currently has a population of around 160,000 people over 62 square miles.
"Our city’s only about 60% built out, so we’ve got a lot of available land where we can build to suit," Frisco Mayor Jeff Cheney told The New York Times. "We play to win. We’re innovators. We’re forward thinkers, and we’re serious."
Cities in New Jersey — $5 billion in tax incentives
In early October, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and legislative leaders said they will offer Amazon tax breaks worth $5 billion over the next decade if the company decides to build there, according to The Observer.
The plan would expand a subsidy program, Grow NJ, and provide extensive economic incentives for companies (like Amazon) that launch "transformative projects" (like HQ2).
The proposed bill would raise the cap on subsidies from $5,000 to $10,000 for every job Amazon creates. Christie said that he expects lawmakers to sign the bill into law by mid-January.
Phoenix, Arizona — A proposal to move inside a renovated version of the city's first shopping mall
There seems to be a trend of cities proposing dilapidated shopping malls as the site for HQ2. Phoenix officials will likely pitch Park Central Mall to Amazon, according to multiple sources who spoke with the Phoenix Business Journal.
Park Central was the city's first mall when it opened in the 1950s. The mall's clothing stores shut down several years ago, and today, there is just a Starbucks, a few restaurants, offices, and a data center.
Dallas, Texas — The site of a former (nearly dead) shopping mall
One of the more telling proposals comes from three Dallas developers, who want Amazon — the e-commerce giant that pioneered the growth of online shopping — to move into the old site of the Valley View Mall.
Local outlet Dallas News reports that the proposal calls for the construction of a 500,000-square-foot office building, which would be a part of a larger 430-acre district.
The building's parking garage was demolished this summer, and now only a theater, a few art galleries, some pizza joints, and a smoothie shop remain.
Dallas, Texas — A development that would surround a proposed station for a $15 billion bullet train
Developers from firms Matthews Southwest and Texas Central Partners are pitching a transit-oriented development for Amazon's HQ2 campus, according to Dallas Business Journal. It would surround a proposed station for a bullet train, which Dallas magazine reports is expected to cost $15 billion. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner has formally expressed support for the train plan, which will likely happen with or without Amazon.
If fully approved by the city, the 240-mile line would transport passengers from Houston to Dallas in 90 minutes. Developers hope to start construction on the development by late 2018.
Source: Business Insider India