Prime incentives
In the high-stakes game of who can offer the most incentives, the frenzy has begun. Here’s a roundup of who is offering what:
Newark — The $7 billion proposal consists of $5 billion in state incentives over 10 years if Amazon creates 50,000 new jobs. The city has offered $1 billion in local property tax abatement, as well as the waiving of $1 billion in wage taxes for Amazon employees over 20 years.
Chula Vista, Calif. — The San Diego suburb, with a population of 267,000, voted Tuesday to offer Amazon a $400 million incentive package that includes “shovel-ready office location and the opportunity to co-create California’s next university.” The city, on the southeast side of San Diego Bay, posted its proposal online.
Worcester, Mass. — The state’s second-largest city to Boston is offering $500 million in local property tax relief and a $1 million loan that will be forgiven if Amazon hires at least 100 people, according to The Boston Globe, which also posted the city’s pitch. The newspaper also reports that at least 10 areas in the state will make their own bids.
Minnesota — Like Colorado, Minnesota has limits on how much it can offer in public incentives. According to the Star Tribune, that’s a $3 million spending cap.
Seattle — Home to Amazon’s current headquarters, Seattle wasn’t going to be left out of a shot at HQ2. The city did not, however, share details about its bid. In 2013, the state of Washington offered $8.7 billion to Boeing even though that company has since cut jobs.
Memphis, Tenn. — The city government voted to offer Amazon $60 million in cash incentives, which includes $5,000 per job created (or $50 million total) and $10 million in other incentives, according to the Commercial Appeal.
Atlanta — With job wage tax credits of up to $850 million from the state of Georgia, the city’s proposed incentives could reach in the billions, according to The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Tucson — The city sent a 21-foot saguaro cactus to Amazon, which rejected it.
Stonecrest, Ga. — Voted to de-annex 345 acres, create the city of Amazon.
Charlotte, N.C. — Basketball legend Michael Jordan asked Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos to pick Charlotte.
Chicago — The city submitted its bid Monday but revealed few details.
Washington — Mayor announced four potential sites on Monday.
Philadelphia — The city offered three sites.
San Diego — The city offered four sites.
San Antonio — The city said no thank you to Amazon.
San Jose, Calif. — The city will not offer any subsidies to Amazon. Mayor Sam Liccardo wrote an op-ed in The Wall Street Journal in which he cited expansions of Adobe, Google and Apple that were completed “without a single cent of taxpayer money.”
Frisco, Texas — The city, located about 30 miles from the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport, created a video and offered to build its city around Amazon.
Ottawa, Ontario; Gatineau, Quebec — These two Canadian cities, which border each other, partnered up to pitch their tech workforce, bilingual population and higher education, but they said they won’t offer the billions in incentives that some U.S. cities can, according to the Ottawa Business Journal.
Ontario — The Canadian province offered “sensible incentives” and not billions of dollars, according to CBC/Radio Canada and had committed to investing $30 million in artificial intelligence graduates to help attract companies such as Amazon. And since software programmers are paid 34 to 38 percent less than those in Boston or New York, Ontario’s organizers said Amazon would save $1.5 billion in annual salaries if it located in Toronto.