Amazon

[Bullbear]

I would think at the rate Austin has grown and outgrown its highway systems it would be a hard sell due to traffic concerns. but ya never know.

[tyeomans]

Amazon donated $15,000 to the Oklahoma School of Science and Mathematics. Interesting? I think so.

http://www.koco.com/article/amazon-m...chool/13081038

[jn1780]

I think Austin already withdrew their application which I found interesting.

[OKC_on_mines]

Good stuff, I am glad we submitted a proposal. Now we can get feedback and press forward.

[soonerguru]

You do realize they (CSA's) are at least 50 freaking percent larger than okc? You're trying to make it sound like an extra million people is just "a tier" larger. Austin Denver Portland were substantially larger than okc for decades before the millennial boom.

There's this thought process that those cities got large overnight because they became the hot new town for millennials. That's ridiculous, they've been larger for decades.

Austin used to be much smaller than OKC. It was about the size of Tulsa at one point. It has lapped OKC.

[king183]

I would think at the rate Austin has grown and outgrown its highway systems it would be a hard sell due to traffic concerns. but ya never know.

One of Amazon's requirements is access to public transit. Austin has abysmal public transit, just like us. Traffic there is a nightmare. They are trying to rectify it, but it's going to be a long time before they do.

[TheTravellers]

Good stuff, I am glad we submitted a proposal. Now we can get feedback and press forward.

Are we going to get feedback or is Amazon just going to say "Here's the winner (or top 10 we're narrowing it down to), thanks to the rest for playing"?

[stile99]

Are we going to get feedback or is Amazon just going to say "Here's the winner (or top 10 we're narrowing it down to), thanks to the rest for playing"?

If there is any question why we didn't get it, that itself is the reason why we didn't get it.

[Pete]

Facility opened today:

[jonny d]

Anyone seen OKC's bid, by chance?

[stile99]

I've read the same articles everyone else has about the 'screening times' for workers leaving the floor, but that sign is just flat out ridiculous. You can't carry keys? I can see why the might ban keychains and make you just carry them on a key ring, (certain places ban keychains because they can have cameras and/or memory sticks in them), and even more ban cell phones on the work floor, but you can't wear a belt? SERIOUSLY? How is not wearing a belt going to help with screening time, you planning on asking people to drop trou so you can check where the sun don't shine?

[shawnw]

I thought this was going to be a "sorting facility" and not an outright fulfillment center?

[d-usa]

If they are using a metal detector the belt would cause a delay due to taking it off to clear the detector. They make Velcro belts though, that’s what I wear to work.

[OKC_on_mines]

Are we going to get feedback or is Amazon just going to say "Here's the winner (or top 10 we're narrowing it down to), thanks to the rest for playing"?

Good question. I was actually hoping we would. I'm not certain either way.

[bombermwc]

Well if it means we have to give them some massive tax breaks and lick their butt for them to come here, then i'd rather not have them. We've given away enough to big business and haven't gotten our dollar back on them.

[Anonymous.]

Well if it means we have to give them some massive tax breaks and lick their butt for them to come here, then i'd rather not have them. We've given away enough to big business and haven't gotten our dollar back on them.

I think you are severely underestimating the value to a city by having an HQ of a global corporation like Amazon would have.

[AP]

If you're interested, here is Toronto's bid: https://s3.ca-central-1.amazonaws.co...nHQ2RFP_PD.pdf

No way we could ever possibly compete with that.

Edit: Should have mentioned, this is a huge pdf, so be wary of that on your phone.

[FighttheGoodFight]

I think you are severely underestimating the value to a city by having an HQ of a global corporation like Amazon would have.

50,000 jobs and a global company would change a city. Give them all the tax breaks they want.

[jerrywall]

50,000 jobs and a global company would change a city. Give them all the tax breaks they want.

And the idea we don't get our dollar back is nuts. Yeah, there have been bad deals, and sometimes we've given deals where not needed to bring someone who would have come anyways. But most of the time, these deals that bring someone here who wouldn't have come otherwise have conditions where the incentives are based on criteria where we come out ahead. Look at Edmond's deal with Showbiz Cinema. Incentives for them are based on tax revenues they generate. And it beats them locating just outside of Edmond like the Warren is doing, getting Edmond revenue without contributing to the tax base. In a perfect world cities and states wouldn't need to compete like this for business but it is what it is.

[bchris02]

Let's wait and see where they choose. If they go someplace like Louisville, Kansas City, or Raleigh, then there will be a legitimate question as to what they are doing that OKC isn't that made them qualified. Honestly, I believe I already know.

If they choose a place like Toronto, Boston, Chicago, or even Dallas, then you know that there is simply no way OKC could have met the criteria they were looking for.

[OKC_on_mines]

http://www.koco.com/article/new-amaz...-city/13048333



$5 billion project??? SHEESH!!!

My goodness, its imperative to consider all the things that will happen and come with a mega-global company like this being headquartered in OUr city. I mean all hands on deck, I wonder if Clay Bennett has purposely waited to sell the new advertising rights for OUr OKC thunder uniforms for a potential bid with Amazon. GE and paycom were two companies I personally thought would be awesome to advertise on the uniforms but Amazon? I was a bit surprised Abigail Ogle didn't press Mayor Cornet for insight into what is included in OUr bid.....but lets remember few things:

OKIES just passed a vote for bonds/taxes on September 12th; funding for transportation is involved in that. I rode the bus yesterday and to my surprise embark is actually conducting a month long survey with surveyors on several of the bus routes . The results from these surveys will provide the insight necessary to properly use the funds that my fellow OKIES voted to use on transportation. Not to mention the new streetcar which will service the urban core. (I made sure to mention to 2 of the surveyors on my travels yesterday that the Kansas city streetcar has had monumental success because the streetcar is free and it runs 7 days a week so I challenged them to remind Jason Ferbache or whoever their section supervisor is to remember that OKIES have already paid for this streetcar-if you abuse the funds we just voted on with Maps 3 and the Sept 12th vote by not including 7 day service and more midnight routes you could expect the voters to regret voting for this and this will all be for not. People who work at hospitals, bars, restaurants, eat and work and play 24/7....we have to be considerate of this)

There are several locations where the space is currently available to Amazon for a headquarters.

Also, legislators (if I'm not mistaken) are in a special session concerning the state budget and education and mental health. Apparently Amazon isn't making this decision until next year; so if OUr state could get its act together and fix things we could have a solution for several deficiencies by the end of the year!

[OKC_on_mines]

I understand a lot of you guys are well traveled and can point out some areas where OKC is still not sufficient as a metro. And I can honestly say I value that amidst the converse that takes place in all of these threads. But I, for one, am excited that we have submitted a bid and actually have a shot. Looking ahead instead of where we are now on October 25th, I personally feel my city, the city I LOVE, is on the fast track. We are the Renaissance city.....the strides we are making could actually land us an Amazon Headquarters. If that happens....look out!

[AP]

actually have a shot

We don't. You didn't read the Toronto bid I posted, did you?

[jn1780]

If Amazon picked a smaller town, its because they want to build their own city from scratch.

[stile99]

Not to turn this into a political thread, but the special session is a joke, a complete and blatant mockery of democracy. The latest word from it is one side has told the other side give us what we want, and then we PROMISE to hold a vote to see if we'll give you what you want. Left unspoken is "...but you know damn well that vote is going to be no".

They're not discussing Amazon, and the deadline to submit a proposal has passed. Being optimistic is one thing, but please respect yourself enough to not delude yourself.