PACKAGE FOR LIC?
Say Amazon to split new HQ between Qns., D.C. ’burb
After almost a year of suspense, Amazon has reportedly decided to build new headquarters in not one, but two cities — and New York may be one of them.
Contradicting earlier speculation, the online shopping giant will split the new offices evenly between two locations, adding to the longstanding headquarters in Seattle, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Amazon declined to comment when reached by the Daily News, but The New York Times reported late Monday that Long Island City will likely house half of the expansion.
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced in September 2017 that the company would spend $5 billion on a second headquarters built for about 50,000 employees.
Early favorites on a 20-city shortlist included Miami, Los Angeles, Newark, Pittsburgh, Raleigh, Chicago and Boston.
The Daily News reported last week that Gov. Cuomo had offered “hundreds of millions of dollars” in state subsidies if the offices are built in Long Island City, and promised to rename the Newtown Creek, which was designated a Superfund site in 2010, the “Amazon River.”
Over the weekend, Amazon’s director of economic development public policy slammed a Washington Post report that cited sources close to the situation as identifying Crystal City, Va., a D.C. suburb, as the likely winner.
“Memo to the genius leaking info about Crystal City, VA as #HQ2 selection,” Mike Grella tweeted. “You’re not doing Crystal City, VA any favors. And stop treating the NDA you signed like a used napkin.”
A decision could reportedly be made as early as this week.