Amazon in ‘advanced talks’ for 2nd headquarters near D.C.

NEW YORK — Retail giant Amazon is in “advanced talks” to open its second headquarters in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, the Washington Post reported Saturday.

Amazon, based in Seattle, is ap- parently seriously considering an area known as Crystal City. It’s a large residential and office complex in Arlington, Va., just south of Washington, the Post said, citing unidentified sources.

Amazon announced last year that it was looking to open a second headquarters somewhere in North America, bringing with it as many as 50,000 new jobs.

Several state and local governments threw their hats in the ring, offering Amazon millions of dollars in tax incentives if it opened the new headquarters in their city.

The Washington metropolitan area was long considered a top contender. Company founder and CEO Jeff Bezos already had several connections to the Washington area. He’s the owner of the Washington Post, along with a home in the area.

When Amazon announced a list of 20 top contenders for the headquarters in January, the company included both Washington as well as Montgomery Coun- ty, Md., which is just north of the nation’s capital.

Crystal City is served by a mass transit system and major highways, both qualifications that Amazon has said is required for its new headquarters.

Though Amazon is reportedly in “advanced talks,” that does not mean the deal is certain.