Time to assess assets after Amazon affront.
Amazon cut the power this week on Central Florida’s “Electric Dreams” of $5 billion in investment and 5,000 high-paying jobs when the online giant left Orlando off its short list of sites for its second headquarters. Now, as leaders from across Central Florida wake up to the reality of this rejection, they would be wise to make an honest assessment of where the region fell short, and keep working together for future opportunities.
Alexa, home about some strong coffee?
Miami makes the cut
To be sure, Orlando faced tall odds as one of 238 communities across the nation and Canada vying to become Amazon’s second home. But another Florida bid, from Miami, made the list of 20 finalists that Amazon released Thursday. Miami’s was actually a joint bid from the three counties that make up the South Florida metropolis — the latest example of the power of regional teamwork.
Miami’s status as the nation’s gateway to Latin America and high percentage of Spanish speakers apparently impressed Amazon, along with its $300 billion regional economy, 3 million-plus labor force and four major universities. The region also can boast multiple airports and seaports, and passenger- and freight-rail service. But the Achilles heel of its transportation network — traffic-clogged roads, and limited public-transit alternatives — might still trip up the area’s chances to land Amazon’s HQ2.
Miami and most of the other finalists represent major metropolitan areas larger than Orlando, but size is not a good excuse for Central Florida’s snub. Several finalists — including Austin, Nashville, and Raleigh, N.C. — are smaller.
Orlando has plenty to catch the eye of corporate relocators: relatively cheap land available for development, a well-regarded and expanding Orlando International Airport, a growing high-tech work force, and multiple higher education options — the University of Central Florida and other public and private colleges universities within a couple hours’ drive.
Going beyond messaging
Some local leaders who spoke to Sentinel reporters blamed Central Florida’s failure to make Amazon’s short list on messaging. “It’s disappointing, but I think it speaks to the fact that we have more work to do to talk about what tremendous assets Orlando has,” said Jim Thomas, CEO of Orlando Tech Association.
Messaging is only part of the problem. Central Florida also has some lingering disadvantages in attracting or growing the best employers, starting with transportation. Amazon specified that it wanted a site with good mass-transit options. SunRail, Central Florida’s single commuter rail line, and Lynx, the region’s bus system, need a stronger financial commitment from local governments to expand their service and be considered more viable alternatives to the region’s congested highways. Here’s hoping that finishing out of the money in the Amazon sweepstakes is a kick in the pants for leaders in the region to close ranks on a plan to upgrade mass transit.
Other obstacles loom in attracting top employers to Central Florida, including the area’s acute shortage of affordable housing. This might not directly affect high-wage workers, but it drags down the entire region’s economy. Leaders also need to be more aggressive in attacking this problem.
While Amazon is no longer considering Orlando for its second headquarters, the company is building a 2.4 million-square-foot distribution warehouse in Orange County where it plans to employ 1,500 workers. These jobs will be welcome but they won’t be highwage.
Diversifying and strengthening the economy means, as Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer said, “continuing to pursue headquarter operations and nurture our homegrown technology and innovation companies.” Central Florida will be in a better position to do both if leaders learn from their losing bid for Amazon.